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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


'•  Whkn  he  heachkd  thk  lamp,  he  placed  the  boy  on  the  cross- 
bar, TELLING  HIM  TO  HANG  ON  FOR  DEAR  LIFE."  —  Paffe  18. 


THE 


ELECTRICAL   BOY 


OR   THE   CAREER   OF 


GREATMAN   AND   GREATTHINGS 


BV 

JOHN   TROWBRIDGE 

PROFESSOR  OF   PHYSICS,  HARV'ARD   UNIVERSITY 


[ttJ)  Ellustratwins 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,   BROWN,   AND    COMPANY 

1900 


Copyright^  ISdl, 
By  Roberts  Brothers. 


JHmbersttp  |3rfss: 

John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge,  U.S.A. 


7 

CONTENTS. 


Chapter.  Page 

I.    In    which    Greatman    attempts    to 
CLIMB    TO     Heaven     on     Electric 

Wires n 

II.    Greatman  comes  to  Earth,  and  finds 

A  Home 27 

III.  Greatman  begins   his   Education  in 

Electricity 39 

IV.  Greatman  is  thrown  on  the  World 

AGAIN 49 

V.    Greatman's    Friend,     and    Electri- 
city AND  Carrier  Pigeons.     ...      63 
VI.     Greatman  is  left  alone  at  one  End 

OF  THE  Line 83 

VII.     Greatman  finds   new    Friends   and 

MEETS     GrEATTHINGS TOO 

VIII.    "Walk  into  my  Parlor,"  said  the 

Electrical  Spider  to  the  Fly.     .  117 
IX.     Greatthings  flees  from  his  Past    ,  132 
X.     Electricity  in  a  Dime  Museum   .     .  143 
XI.     A  wise    Philosopher    and   Electri- 
cian appears  upon  the  Scene   .     .  160 


878819 


iv  Contents. 

Chapter  Page 

XII.     Greatman    is   educated    by    Great- 
things      173 

XIII.  Greatman  and  Greatthings  set  free 

A  Giant 185 

XIV.  Electricity    acts    the    Part    of    an  - 

Evil  Spirit 201 

XV.  The  Rescue  of  Greatman  and  Great- 

things      220 

XVI.  A    new    Life    for    Greatman    and 

Greatthings 241 

XVII.     Greatthings  is  offered  a  high  Posi- 
tion      256 

XVIII.     A     Discovery   by   Means    of    Elec- 
tricity       275 

XIX.    Greatthings's  Enemy  goes  West,  and 

employs  Magnetism 289 

XX.     A   Danger   impending 303 

XXI.    The  Giant  appears  again     ....  313 

XXII.    The  Passing  of  the  Giant  ....  334 

XXIII.  A  Burial  by  Electricity       ....  350 

XXIV.  Defending  a  Mining  Camp  by  Elec- 

tricity      365 

XXV.    The  Newsboy  finds  his  Pocket  full 

of  Silver 384 


THE   ELECTRICAL   BOY. 


CHAPTER   I. 

IN    WHICH    GREATMAN    ATTEMPTS    TO    CLIMB 
TO    HEAVEN    ON    ELECTRIC    WIRES. 


R 


ICHARD  GREATMAN,  the  hero 
of  this  book,  made  his  first  ac- 
quaintance with  this  world  in  a  dingy 
room,  which  he  surveyed  from  a  bed 
on  the  floor.  There  was  no  indistinct 
sound  of  happy  voices,  awakening  him 
to  mysterious  delights  ;  no  sound  of 
sincrino-  birds.  In  place  of  such  music 
could  be  heard  the  fierce  cries  of  quar- 
relsome persons  who  fought  together  in 
the  narrow  lane  outside  the  dingy  win- 
dow.    There  were  no  toys,  no  cradle,  no 


12  The  Electrical  Boy.    ' 

curtains ;  and  there  was  always  a  longing 
for  something,  which  in  time  came  to  be 
recognized  as  a  desire  for  food. 

Richard's  wretched  daily  existence  in 
the  foul  tenement  dulled  his  memory  of 
those  nebulous  early  days  of  childhood 
which  at  the  best  are  hazy  and  indistinct. 
In  after  years  he  remembered  a  sweet 
voice,  and  arms  full  of  tenderness  which 
kept  him  warm,  and  a  white  face  that  bent 
over  his  as  he  awoke  to  a  consciousness 
of  dark  days.  He  remembered  gazing  at 
the  great  electric  lights  on  lofty  masts 
which  could  be  seen  from  the  tenement 
room,  and  seeing  a  man  climbing  to  the 
lights,  and  hearing  the  tender,  white-faced 
woman  tell  him  that  she  was  going  to 
the  far-off  stars,  and  that  he  must  be  a 
good  boy  and  climb  up  some  day  to  meet 
her.  There  were  angels  in  heaven  with 
sweet  voices  and  kind  ways.  There  was 
no  fighting,  no  drinking.     Every  one  was 


The  Electrical  Boy.  ^3 

good,  good.     How  often  she  uttered  that 
word !  and  she  seemed  to  go  to  sleep  re- 
peating,    "No    swearing  — no    fighting  — 
no   drinking ;    good  —  good."     He    must 
climb    up    to    meet   her  there    some    day. 
The  night  came,  and  the  woman  was  not 
there  to  fold  the  boy  in  her  warm  arms. 
He  wandered  through  the  thickly  peopled 
rooms  of  the  tenement,  down  among  the 
brawlers  who  were  drinking  in   the  base- 
ment,  crying  bitterly,  and  asking  for  one 
whom  he   called   "  Mammy."       The  fierce 
old  woman  who  kept  the  house   threw  a 
beer  mug  at  him  and  told  him  to   "  get  to 
his  room."     The  child  mounted  the  steps 
to   the  dark  and  desolate   chamber,  — one 
step  at  a   time,  for  his  little  limbs  would 
not  enable  him  to  do  more,  —  and  looked 
out  at  the  electric  lights,  and  wondered  if 
she  were  climbing  up  to  the  stars. 

The    mother    never   came    back,  —  she 
had  indeed  ascended   the  stairway  to  the 


14  The  Electrical  Boy. 

stars,  and  all  she  could  leave  her  little  boy 
were  the  words  we  have  repeated.  Did 
she  realize  what  strange  power  those 
words  were  destined  to  have  on  the  future 
of  the  child  she  was  compelled  to  leave 
in   the  midst  of  a  wicked  world  ? 

We  have  said  that  each  day  brought  its 
hard  usage,  its  blows,  and  the  childish 
endeavors  to  extract  amusement  from  the 
life  in  the  dark  alleyways  about  the  tene- 
ment. Richard  must  have  had  a  poetic 
soul,  for  the  words  of  his  mother  continu- 
ally stirred  within  him  ;  and  he  stole  to 
the  window  at  night  to  look  at  the  stars 
and  at  the  electric  lights,  and  wondered 
how  long  it  would  be  before  he  could 
climb  a  stairway  to  the  stars  and  see  the 
angels. 

Let  those  who  strive  to  drive  the  ideas 
of  angels  with  their  immaterial  bodies  and 
their  long  wings  from  children's  thoughts 
reflect  upon  a  child's  imagination,  and  ask 


The  Electrical  Boy.  15 

themselves  if  it  is  not  possible  that  poor 
little  waifs  like  Richard  Greatman  may 
catch  a  heavenward  aspiration  from  the 
thought  of  an  angel.  The  mother's  pic- 
ture of  something  tender  and  sweet  and 
pure,  with  wings,  caught  the  boy's  fancy ; 
and  when  she  left  him,  the  thought  of 
angels  hovering  over  him  worked  silently 
in   the   recesses  of  his  expanding  brain. 

One  night  in  a  driving  storm  he  awoke, 
hearinor  a  stranQ^e  whirrinor  of  win2:s.  He 
stumbled  over  the  bodies  of  four  sleepers 
in  the  tenement  room,  and  crept  to  the 
window.  Around  the  electric  light  he 
saw  a  great  flock  of  angels  with  wide 
stretching  wangs  circle  around  the  light 
and  float  away  into  the  darkness.  The 
boy's  angels  were  great  birds  that  were 
attracted  by  the  light.  The  child  had 
never  seen  a  bird,  and  they  were  angels 
to  him.  He  wondered  if  they  went  up 
the  wires  to  heaven,  where  his  mother  had 


t6  The  Electrical  Boy. 

gone.  He  crept  shivering  back  to  his 
hard  corner,  sobbing  with  the  feehng  of 
utter  desolation  that  only  a  child  can  feel. 
The  tender  voice,  the  caressing  hands, 
would  never  return.  His  litlle  mind 
worked  with  all  its  might  to  devise  some 
method  of  joining  his  mother;  and  he 
decided  that  he  would  crawl  up  the  great 
standard  on  the  top  of  the  tenement  which 
supported  the  wires  running  to  the  electric 
lights,  and  slide  up  to  heaven  on  the  wires. 
This  was  undoubtedly  the  way  his  mother 
had  gone,  and  this  was  the  way  those  an- 
gels which  hovered  about  the  lights  had 
taken. 

Imao^ine  a  little  child  who  had  never 
seen  a  tree,  a  plot  of  grass,  or  a  bed  of 
flowers ;  whose  impressions  of  the  world 
were  gathered  from  contemplation  of 
squalid  alleys  between  lofty  tenements, 
or  from  crowded  streets  where  the  small 
boys  early  learned  lessons  of  self-preserva- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  17 

tlon.  The  earliest  recollections  of  Richard, 
besides  those  of  his  mother,  were  of  a 
fierce  woman  who  used  to  shake  him  in 
one  hand  and  a  little  puppy-dog  in  the 
other,  and  occasionally  throw  them  to- 
gether down  the  stairway.  The  child  and 
the  dog  had  a  good  cry  together ;  but  they 
were  both  young,  and  could  forget  every- 
thing in  long  sleeps,  cuddled  together  on 
the  bare  floor.  The  day  had  its  pleasures; 
for  Richard  and  the  dog  could  play  in  the 
dark  alley,  and  make  the  acquaintance  of 
the  other  wretched  little  children,  when 
the  fierce  old  woman  was  not  looking. 
The  child's  imagination  began  at  an  early 
age  to  supply  his  world  with  something 
besides  the  sordid  actualities  about  him. 
The  bright  stars  above  the  dingy  build- 
ings seemed  to  him  like  far-off  electric 
lights,  such  as  he  saw  on  the  city  streets. 
There  must  be  ladders  reaching  up  to 
streets  among  those  lights,  and  he  peered 


1 8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

about  in  the  dark  alleyways,  trying  to  find 
one  of  these  ladders.  Landed,  he  knew 
not  how,  in  a  strange  world  where  every- 
thing was  to  be  feared, — the  loud  voices 
and  blows  of  the  men  who  drank  in  the 
basement,  the  passion  of  the  old  hag,  the 
strange  hurry  and  uproar  of  the  street, 
which  had  its  fascination  even  in  the  midst 
of  its  perils,  —  everything  to  be  feared 
except  the  little  puppy-dog,  —  he  felt  a 
strange  longing  to  go  to  those  mild  twink- 
ling lights,  the  stars,  to  meet  his  mother. 
He  saw  the  lineman  who  replaced  the 
carbons  in  the  electric  light  ascend  the 
tall  pole  by  the  numerous  cross-bars  which 
were  let  into  the  mast.  This  man's  feat 
had  the  greatest  fascination  for  the  child. 
The  man  came  down ;  but  Richard  re- 
solved that  if  he  ever  got  up  to  the  light 
to  go  farther  up  on  the  wires  to  find  his 
mother.  One  day  the  lineman  saw  the 
boy  watching  him,  and  asked  him    if   he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  19 

wanted  to  go  up  the  pole.  To  the  man's 
astonishment,  the  child  leaped  up  and 
down  with  delight.  The  boy's  ecstasy 
amused  the  man,  and  he  resolved  to  play 
a  joke  on  the  old  wom.an  who  kept  the 
tenement,  and  who  generally  greeted  him 
with  fierce  words. 

"  Can  you  hold  on,  boy  ?  "  said  he,  in  a 
grim  whisper. 

The  little  child  eagerly  whispered,  "  Yes," 
in  the  shaggy  ear  which  was  bent  down  to 
him. 

The  lineman  tucked  the  boy  under  his 
arm  and  ascended  the  pole.  When  he 
reached  the  lamp,  he  placed  the  boy  on 
the  cross-bar,  telling  him  to  hang  on  for 
dear  life,  and  proceeded  to  replace  the 
carbons  in  the  lamp.  Richard  felt  some- 
what dizzy,  but  his  thin  little  hands 
grasped  the  cross-tree,  and  with  his  great 
hungry  eyes  he  watched  the  man's  work. 
Further    progress    on    the    wires,    which 


20  The  Electrical  Boy. 

stretched  over  the  houses  of  the  tenements 
to  a  far-off,  misty  distance,  seemed  difficult, 
unless  the  man  could  slide  with  him. 
This  his  companion  did  not  seem  inclined 
to  do.  He  threw  out  the  old  carbons  of 
the  lamp,  took  new  ones  from  a  sort  of 
quiver  which  he  bore  on  his  back,  inserted 
them  in  the  lamp,  brushed  out  the  glass 
globe,  and  telling  Richard  to  hang  to  the 
cross-bar  for  a  moment  until  he  came 
back,  descended  to  the  ground. 

Richard  was  left  sitting  on  a  cross-bar, 
and  holding  to  the  post  with  both  arms. 

The  shaggy  lineman  was  in  front  of  the 
tenement,  shouting  out, — 

"  Well,  I  never !  Look  at  that  rum 
chap  up  my  pole.  He  '11  stay  there ; 
I  '11  not  take  him  down.  It  '11  be  a 
lesson  for  the  neighborhood." 

The  old  woman  came  to  the  door,  and 
the  man  pointed  out  the  small  boy  to  her, 
and  asked  her  how  he  got  up  there.     He 


The  Electrical  Boy.  ^^ 

would  complain  of  the  mischievous  bo3'S 
of  the  neighborhood,  who  probably  helped 
the  little  chap  up  the  pole.  They  had 
troubled  the  lights  many  times,  and  now 
they  might  get  the  child  down,  —  he  would 
not.  Thus  saying,  he  sturdily  marched 
away.  The  old  hag  shook  her  fist  at 
Richard  with  a  queer  look  of  terror  and 
anger  on  her  face,  and  scuttled  off  to  get 
some  men  to  take  the  boy  down. 

The  small  boys  in  the  neighborhood, 
who  never  dared  to  venture  so  far  into 
the  alleyway  from  fear  of  the  old  woman, 
now  thronged  round  her,  and  offered 
various  suggestions. 

"  Are  ye  goin'  up  for  him,  marm }  " 
"  We  don't  think  he  '11  hansr  there  Ions:." 

O  CD 

"  How  did  he  get  there  ?  " 

"  Flew  up,  of  course,'  was  the  answer 
from  another  boy. 

"  Arrh  !  "  growled  the  virago,  stamping 
her  foot ;  and  the  boys  rushed  away,  tum- 


22  The  Electrical  Boy. 

bling  over  one  another,  and  shouting  with 
laughter. 

"  Hang  out  a  blanket,  and  shake  the 
pole,  old  woman,"  cried  one  of  the  boys, 
pausing  on  the  outskirts  of  the  retreating 
crowd. 

"  If  you  don't  get  the  child  down, 
Bridget,"  said  Katherine  Mulligan,  who 
kept  the  tenement  opposite  Bridget's, 
"  there  '11   be   a   corpse    in   the   alley." 

"  Stand  there,  and  talk  ;  it 's  all  ye  're 
good  for,"  replied  Bridget.  Thus  saying, 
she  tucked  up  her  skirts  and  proceeded  to 
mount  the  mast  by  the  cross-bars,  disre- 
garding the  offers  from  the  crowd  of  boys 
to  hold  her  bonnet.  . 

Richard  saw  her  coming,  and  had  the 
choice  of  fallinof  to  the  grround  or  encoun- 
tering  this  fierce  woman,  whom  he  knew 
would  punish  him  severely.  The  instinct 
for  the  preservation  of  life  restrained  him 
from    throwing    himself    from    his    dizzy 


The  Electrical  Boy.  23 

helo-ht.  Presently  the  woman  reached 
him  ;  and  telling  him  to  cHng  to  her  neck, 
she  slowly  descended  with  him,  while  the 
crowd  of  boys  set  up  a  shout. 

"  She 's  got  him,  and  oh,  won't  she 
wallop  him." 

This  Bridget  was  about  to  do  when 
she  reached  the  ground  with  her  charge. 
There  was  a  strange  look  in  the  boy's 
great,  hungry  eyes  which  restrained  her. 
It  was  the  look  of  the  dying  mother,  when 
she  said,  "  Be  kind  to  my  boy." 

Katherine  Mulligan,  across  the  way,  had 
seized  a  broom,  and  was  proposing  to  join 
in  a  fray,  —  espousing  the  cause  of  the 
boy  would  be  a  good  excuse  for  settling 
some  outstanding  quarrels. 

Bridget,  however,  merely  shook  Richard 
once  or  twice,  and  told  him  to  take  himself 
off.  She  would  have  nothing  more  to  do 
with  him.  A  great  fear  came  over  the 
small  boy,  and   he  clung  to  the  woman's 


24  The  Electrical  Boy. 

skirts.  With  a  rough  blow  she  freed 
herself,  and  taking  up  a  broomstick, 
threatened  to  use  it  if  he  did  not  run 
away  and  join  the  boys,  who  stood  like  a 
pack  of  wolves  at  the  end  of  the  alley. 
Richard  watched  the  fierce  woman,  striv- 
ing to  understand  her  meaning. 

"  Can  I  take  Sammy  [the  puppy-dog] 
with  me }  "  he  whined  in  terror. 

"  Be  off  with  ye,"  shrieked  the  old  hag, 
shaking  her  broom  ;  and  Richard  fled, 
knowing:  well  its  weiGfht.  Wliat  did  it  all 
mean?  Could  he  not  crawl  back  into  his 
little  corner  when  the  darkness  came  t 
Should  he  not  carry  the  beer  mugs  from 
the  room  where  the  men  fought  to  the  one 
where  the  women  drank  }  He  fled  down 
the  alley  as  he  saw  the  old  woman  about 
to  follow  him.  The  ragamuffins  in  the 
neighborhood  saw  him  running,  and 
amused  themselves  by  adding  to  his 
fright    by    howling    like    young    savages, 


The  Electrical  Boy.  25 

and  tripping  him  up.  One  boy  at  length, 
filled  with  pity,  rescued  Richard  from  his 
tormentors,  shouting  out  to  them,  — 

"  Take  a  chap  of  your  size.  This  chap 
haint  no  size.  —  Why  don't  you  grow.'*" 
said  he  to  Richard. 

The  small  boy  whimpered  that  he  was 
going  to  to-morrow.  It  was  getting  dark, 
and  there  did  n't  seem  much  chance  left 
for  growth  that  day.  His  protector,  hav- 
ing rescued  him,  told  him  "  to  scuttle 
home."  The  full  desolation  of  the  small 
boy's  lot  suddenly  came  over  him,  and  he 
set  up  a  loud  wail.  The  tall  boy,  who  was 
called  Bill,  —  he  seemed  tall  to  Richard, 
but  he  was  really  a  small  boy,  —  took 
Richard  by  the  hand  and  led  him  back 
toward  Bridget's  tenement.  The  woman 
saw  them  coming,  and  rushed  forth  with 
her  broom;  and  Richard's  defender  fled, 
followed  by  Richard.  Bill  decided  that 
the  alley  was  a  dangerous  place,  and  that 


26  The^Electrical  Boy. 

Richard  had  been  really  thrust  out  into 
the  world  to  shift  for  himself.  This  lot 
had  happened  to  Bill,  and  it  seemed  a  part 
of  the  scheme  of  the  world  to  the  small 
boy.  The  thing  to  do  was  to  shake  off 
this  little  chap  who  clung  to  him  with 
such  tenacity  of  grip.  This  was  not  so 
easy,  for  Richard  held  Bill's  hand  tightly 
clasped,  and  occasionally  pressed  his  lips 
to  it.  This  unusual  caress  touched  Bills 
rouo^h  heart  with  a  thrill  it  had  never 
known  before.  He  resolved  to  stand  by 
the  small  boy  until  he  could  shift  for  him- 
self, as  Bill  himself  had  done. 


The  Electrical  Boy,  2-] 


CHAPTER   II. 

GREATMAN    COMES    TO    EARTH,    AND    FINDS 
A    HOME. 

TT  was  already  dark,  and  it  had  be- 
gun to  rain.  Bill  dragged  Richard 
after  him  through  the  dirty  streets  of  the 
low  quarter,  and  finally  emerged  upon  a 
brilliantly  lighted  avenue.  He  stopped  be- 
fore what  seemed  to  Richard  to  be  a 
palace,  took  off  his  tattered  hat,  and  as- 
suming a  whining  tone,  asked  gentlemen 
who  were  passing  to  give  a  penny  for 
his  little  brother,  and  a  mother  at  home 
with  six  starving  children  like  Richard. 
Both  boys  were  bare-footed,  their  clothes 
were  in  tatters,  and  they  were  a  pitiable 
spectacle  in  the  rain.  Soon  a  few  pennies 
fell  into  Bill's  hat.     The  boy  waited  until 


28  The  Electrical  Boy. 

there  was  no  prospect  of  his  fund  being  m< 
creased,  and  then  went  into  a  cake  store 
and  invested  in  some  buns.  He  told 
Richard  that  it  was  time  for  them  to  seek 
the  hotel  for  the  night.  Bill's  hotel  was  a 
recess  in  the  wall  behind  a  manufacturing 
establishment.  The  exhaust  steam  from 
an  engine  came  out  of  an  opening  near 
this  recess,  and  made  the  pavement  warm. 
Bill  had  discovered  this  place  one  cold 
night,  and  had  been  delighted  with  it.  It 
was  much  better  than  the  coal  hole  in 
which  many  other  boys  —  waifs  of  the 
street  —  were  accustomed  to  spend  the 
nio-ht.      The  recess  in  the  wall   was  cer- 

o 

tainly  a  warm  place.  Bill  curled  himself 
up  in  one  corner,  and  arranged  Richard  in 
the  opposite  one ;  and  both  bo3^s  were 
speedily  asleep. 

The  owner  of  the  establishment  peered 
around  a  dark  corner  to  make  sure  that 
the  boys  were  there.     He  then  retired  to 


The  Electrical  Boy.  29 

consult  with  his  superintendent.  Between 
them  they  had  resolved  to  make  the  tramps 
and  boys  afraid  of  the  place,  and  had  ac- 
cordingly arranged  some  fine  wires  along 
the  pavement  and  against  the  wall.  These 
wires  were  connected  with  an  electrical 
apparatus  driven  by  the  machinery  of  the 
establishment.  When  all  was  ready  they 
turned  on  the  electrical  machine,  and  Bill 
and  Richard  were  suddenly  awakened  from 
their  sweet  sleep.  The  older  boy  thought 
that  a  policeman  was  shaking  him,  and 
Richard  imagined  himself  in  the  clutches 
of  the  fierce  old  woman.  Richard  threw 
himself  for  protection  into  the  arms  of  his 
companion;  then  there  came  a  more  pain- 
ful shock.  The  boys  hopped  up  and  down, 
shrieking  with  fright.  The  proprietor  and 
his  assistant  bent  double  with  laughter  at 
the  success  of  their  experiment,  for  the 
pattering  of  the  feet  of  the  little  boys  as 
they  took  hasty  flight  could  be  heard  re- 


3^  The  Electrical  Boy, 

sounding  through  the  archway.  Both  men 
had  little  boys  at  home,  and  were  really 
kind-hearted ;  but  like  so  many  of  us, 
they  had  no  imagination  to  enable  them 
to  realize  the  condition  of  the  poor  and 
helpless. 

Bill  stopped  when  he  reached  the  bril- 
liantly lighted  street,  and  tried  to  think 
what  had  happened.  It  must  have  been 
some  strange  animal  creeping  along  the 
brick   wall    that   had  stung   him. 

"  I  'd  go  for  it  with  a  stick,  if  it  was 
light,"   said    he,   valiantly. 

The  remembrance  of  the  mysterious 
shock,  however,  prevented  him  from  re- 
turning to  the  warm  nook  that  night. 
It  was  raining  in  torrents,  and  the  boys 
trotted  along  among  the  theatre-goers, 
who   were    returning  after  the   play. 

Bill  saw  a  young  man  putting  a  little 
girl  into  a  carriage,  and  thinking  it  was 
a   good  chance    to   obtain  some  pennies, 


The  Electrical  Boy.  31 

called  the  young  man's  attention  to  the 
wretched  condition  of  his  young  brother, 
pointing  to  Richard.  The  little  girl,  who 
was  about  Richards  age,  stretched  out 
her  hands  to  him  and  said,  "  Poor  little 
brother!"  And  the  young  man  gave  her 
a  penny  to  drop  into  Richard's  hand. 
Then  the  coachman  whirled  them  away. 
Little  did  Richard  know  that  this  young 
man  and  the  little  girl  were  to  play  an 
important  part  in  his  future. 

The  two  boys  soon  left  the  thronged 
street  and  passed  through  narrow  alleys. 
Bill  knew  of  another  nook  where  they 
might  keep  warm  for  the  night. 

In  walking  through  a  dark  lane  they 
came  upon  what  seemed  to  be  an  old 
junk  shop.  Large  heaps  of  copper  were 
spread  upon  the  rough  barn-like  floor  of 
a  shed.  An  electric  light  flickered  among 
the  rude  rafters  of  the  establishment,  and 
there  were  great  vats  in  the  recesses  of  the 


32  The  Electrical  Boy. 

room.  It  might  have  been  that  Richard's 
companion  had  the  intention  of  pocketing 
some  of  the  valuable  copper.  The  old 
man  who  was  tending  the  vats  apparently 
thought  so,  for  he  watched  the  boys 
narrowly  as  they  stood,  —  two  wretched, 
dripping  figures  in  the  doorway.  The 
vats  which  the  old  man  tended  were  for 
the  purpose  of  depositing  copper  by  elec- 
tricity. A  current  of  electricity  was 
carried  through  the  vats,  and  the  articles 
which  w^ere  to  be  covered  with  copper 
were  immersed  in  a  solution  of  copper  in 
the  vats  the  old  man  was  tending.  When 
Bill  drew  nearer  the  heap  of  copper,  the 
old  man  lighted  a  match  and  applied  it  to 
the  great  bubbles  of  oxygen  and  hydrogen 
which  arose  from  the  batteries.  A  loud 
explosion  resulted,  and  the  two  boys  in- 
continently  fled. 

The    place    that    Richard's    companion 
had  selected  for  their  second  resting-place 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2)'h 

for  the  night  was  in  a  coal-hole  which 
afforded  access  to  coal-bins  below  the  side- 
walk. Bill  lifted  the  cover  of  this  hole, 
and  dragging  Richard  after  him,  de- 
scended the  shute  in  the  darkness.  It 
was  evident  that  there  were  other  boys  in 
the  place  where  the  two  landed,  for  there 
was  considerable  commotion  and  much 
talking.  When  Bill  had  given  a  pass- 
word, every  one  became  quiet,  and  Rich- 
ard knew  no  more.  The  excitement  of 
the  day  had  completely  worn  him  out,  and 
he  fell  fast  asleep.  He  was  aroused  in  the 
gray  dawn  by  the  escape  of  the  inmates 
of  the  coal-bin,  and  he  was  dragged  out 
also  by  his  companion.  When  they  ar- 
rived at  the  surface  of  the  sidewalk  they 
were  confronted  by  a  policeman,  who 
seized  Richard's  companion  as  if  he  had 
been  long  on  the  watch  for  him.  Richard 
set  up  a  wail,  and  clung  to  the  legs  of  the 
policeman  as  he  marched  away  with  Bill. 


34  The  Electrical  Boy. 

The  plot  in  Richard's  life  certainly 
seemed  to  be  increasing  in  complexity. 
In  twenty-four  hours  he  had  tried  to  as- 
cend to  heaven,  had  been  forced  to  earth, 
had  been  thrust  into  the  great  world,  had 
found  a  protector,  and  had  lost  him. 

The  policeman  inquired  of  Bill  whose 
kid  that  was  ?  referring  to  Richard.  Bill, 
from  great  experience,  had  found  it  best 
to  say  little  to  policemen.  He  knew 
that  Brido^et  did  not  entertain  a  hish 
opinion  of  him,  and  had  threatened  him 
with  the  law  many  times.  He  merely 
answered  that  Richard  was  the  captain  of 
their  gang.  The  policeman  looked  down 
at  the  wee  boy  and  shouted  with  laughter, 
and  his  hold  relaxed  on  Bill  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  boy  quickly  released  him- 
self and  set  off  with  the  greatest  speed. 
The  policeman  was  a  large  fat  man,  and 
he  saw  that  it  was  no  use  to  pursue  the 
boy,  and  he  gazed  at  Richard  with  a  look 


The  Electrical  Boy.  35 

of  mingled  perplexity  and  amusement. 
While  the  policeman  was  endeavoring 
to  make  up  his  mind  what  disposition 
to  make  of  his  charge,  an  old  man 
peered  out  of  a  dingy  shop-window.  On 
seeing  the  policeman  In  the  alleyway  he 
had  hastily  put  away  various  articles  in 
his  shop,  and  had  concealed  certain  wires. 
Presently  he  appeared  at  his  door,  and 
asked  the  policeman  what  he  was  going  to 
do  with  the  child. 

"  I  'd  like  to  know,"  answered  the 
policeman.  "  This  is  not  the  boy  I  'm 
after.  The  other  one  has  turned  leg-bail 
and  left  me  with  this  baby.  I  s'pose  I 
must  turn  the  child  over  to  some  society 
or  home.  I  can't  find  out  where  he 
lives."     . 

Richard's  description  of  his  home  was 
certainly  very  indefinite.  He  did  not 
know  the  name  of  the  street  or  its 
direction. 


36  The  Electrical  Boy, 

"  I  've  been  looking  for  a  small  boy  to 
adopt,"  said  the  old  man.  "  I  rather  like 
the  looks  of  the  little  chap.  S'pose  you 
leave  him  with  me." 

The  policeman  was  only  too  ready  to 
cast  off  the  burden  of  looking  after  the 
child,  and  disappeared  on  his  beat.  The 
old  man  took  Richard  into  his  shop,  and 
treated  him  to  some  small  cakes,  and 
showed  him  some  white  mice  he  kept  in 
the  corner  of  his  shop.  While  he  turned 
to  his  work  he  endeavored  to  extract  more 
information  from  Richard  in  reoard  to  his 
former  home.  The  small  boy  grew  sud- 
denly communicative  on  seeing  the  mice, 
and  he  made  up  his  mind  that  the  old 
man  was  kind,  and  the  shop  was  a  very 
interesting  place.  He  sat  on  a  high  stool, 
and  watched  the  old  man  work  at  strange 
machines  with  queer  wheels  which  ran  in 
the  most  mysterious  manner.  When  night 
came  the  old  man  showed  him  a  bed  in  a 


The  Electrical  Boy,  37 

recess  of  tlie  shop.  It  had  warm  cover- 
ings and  a  soft  pillow,  and  was  full  of 
enchantment  to  a  little  chap  who  had 
slept  in  his  tattered  rags  on  the  bare, 
cold  floor  of  the  tenement 

In  the  morning  he  was  awakened  by  the 
chattering  of  a  canary  bird  and  the  whirl 
of  the  old  man's  lathe,  and  he  smelt  a 
savory  odor  from  the  breakfast  that  was 
cooking  on  the  queer  cylinder  stove  which 
occupied  the  middle  of  the  shop.  The 
boy  fingered  with  wonder  the  blanket 
which  had  covered  him  during  the  niHit. 
It  was  old  and  worn  ;  but  he  had  never 
seen  anything  so  soft  and  warm.  There 
was  a  delicious  feeling  in  lying  tucked 
away  in  a  snug  corner  with  an  outlook 
upon  strange  pieces  of  mechanism,  and 
with  the  certainty  of  getting  something 
to  eat.  Richard's  entire  state  was  so 
ecstatic  that  he  could  not  help  laughing 
outright. 


38  The  Electrical  Boy. 

The  old  man  peered  over  his  spectacles, 
and  said,  "  Get  up,  young  un ;  breakfast  is 
ready,  and  then  we  '11  see  whether  you 
are  going  to  suit." 

Richard  tumbled  out  of  his  bunk,  and 
voraciously  ate  the  breakfast  which  the 
old  man  prepared.  After  this  meal  the 
old  man  set  Richard  to  work  winding 
wire  upon  a  spool.  The  little  child  did 
the  work  with  a  certain  natural  deftness 
which  speedily  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  proprietor  of  the  shop.  He  set  the 
small  boy  to  work  sorting  various  bits  of 
wire  and  screws.  The  canary  bird  sang 
blithely  and  loud;  a  ray  of  warm  sunshine 
came  through  the  shop  window.  The 
wheels  of  the  various  machines  went 
merrily  round,  and  Richard  felt  that  he 
was  in  a  scene  of  enchantment. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  39 


CHAPTER    III. 

GREATMAN    BEGINS    HIS    EDUCATION    IN 
ELECTRICITY. 

"  I  ^HERE  was  little  in  the  first  day  to 
dispel  the  illusion,  or  in  the  next. 
The  boy  learned  the  lessons  which  were 
set  very  fast,  and  he  seemed  to  have  ex- 
traordinary facility  in  the  use  of  his  fingers. 
The  old  man  was  a  wonderful  teacher,  and 
while  he  worked  at  his  lathe,  taught  the 
child  to  read.  Richard  learned  also  how 
to  connect  wires  to  batteries,  how  to  set 
up  batteries,  and  how  to  manipulate  elec- 
trical kevs  in  order  to  make  electromaq;- 
nets  set  dolls  and  animals  in  motion. 
The  old  man  was  a  magician  who  em- 
ployed electricity  as  the  men  of  the 
East    did    the    genii    in  the    tales  of    the 


40  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Arabian  Nights,  —  to  perform  wonderful 
feats. 

Amono-  the  stransfe  thinsfs  tausfht  Rich- 
ard  was  to  connect  two  wires  with  two 
other  wires  which  ran  through  a  dark 
room  beneath  the  shop.  In  order  to  do 
this,  Richard  was  lowered  by  the  old  man 
through  a  trap  door  in  a  sling  made  from 
rope,  with  a  bull's-eye  lantern  attached  to 
his  breast.  The  light  from  this  enabled 
him  to  see  how  to  attacli  the  two  wires 
he  carried  to  the  two  others  which  ran 
through  the  darkness  of  the  room.  It 
took  many  lessons  to  teach  the  boy  to  do 
this  properly.  The  old  man  cautioned 
^l-te  child  not  to  touch  the  wires  to  which 
.iC  attached  those  he  carried.  He  was 
merely  to  afifix  the  latter  by  means  of  a 
peculiar  clasp. 

In  time  Richard  got  to  do  this  mys- 
terious service  completely  to  his  teacher's 
satisfaction.      He  was  then  taught  to  re- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  41 

move  the  covering  from  the  wires,  and  to 
bring  the  copper  of  the  wire  he  carried 
into  contact  with  the  copper  of  the  con- 
ductors in  the  room  below.  All  this  had 
to  be  done  while  the  boy  was  suspended 
through  a  trap  door  by  means  of  a  rope. 
Richard  took  great  pleasure  in  obeying 
his  master  and  in  practising  the  strange 
things  he  taught  him.  The  quick  natural 
intelligence  of  the  child  strangely  resem- 
bled the  electrical  influence  which  was 
also  at  the  beck  and  call  of  the  old  man. 
When  Richard  could  affix  the  wires  he 
carried  to  those  in  the  cellar  with  cer- 
tainty and  to  the  complete  satisfaction  of 
the  teacher,  he  was  shown  two  great 
wires  which  ran  alons^  the  side  of  the 
building  in  which  the  shop  was  situ- 
ated, some  distance  below  the  window. 
The  old  man  said  that  when  niorht  came 
he  would  lower  Richard  down  to  those 
wires   and  let  him  repeat    the    lesson    he 


42  The  Electrical  Boy. 

had  been  taught  in  the  dark  room 
beneath  the  shop.  Accordingly,  when 
night  came,  the  boy  was  lowered  from  a 
window  with  great  care  by  the  old  man, 
and  the  child  removed  the  coating  from 
the  wires  by  scraping  w'ith  a  sharp  knife, 
and  af^xed  the  wires  he  carried  by  means 
of  a  peculiar  clasp,  one  wire  to  each  of 
the  two  which  ran  along  the  side  of  the 
building  at  a  dizzy  height  above  the  alley- 
way below. 

This  operation  the  small  boy  learned  to 
do  with  certainty,  observing  all  the  pre- 
cautions which  had  been  taught  him.  He 
was  never  to  touch  the  bare  copper  with 
his  hands,  for  the  old  man  said  a  snake 
would  bite  him   if   he   did. 

It  was  only  on  dark  and  stormy  nights 
that  Richard  was  lowered  out  of  the  win- 
dow to  affix  the  wires.  After  he  had  done 
this,  he  went  to  bed,  knowing  that  he 
would    be    aroused    in    a    few    hours    to 


The  Electrical  Boy.  43 

be  lowered  again  from  the  window  to 
unclasp  the  wires  which  led  into  the  win- 
dows of  the  old  man's  shop  from  the  great 
wires  below  the  window. 

The  boy's  intelligence  grew  very  fast, 
and  he  fell  to  watching  the  strange  opera- 
tions of  his  master  instead  of  going  to 
sleep  as  he  was  bidden.  From  his  bed 
he  could  see  the  old  man  bring  the  ends 
of  the  wires  that  led  to  the  wires  outside 
the  window  to  litde  glass  globes  which 
lighted  up  brilliantly  the  moment  they 
were  touched  to  these  wires.  Some- 
times the  old  man  led  the  wires  to  strange 
machines,  and  their  wheels  began  to  move 
and  to  whirl. 

Occasionally  another  queer  looking  man 
—  queerer  looking  than  Richard's  master 
even  —  visited  the  shop,  and  the  two  men 
worked  together  late  into  the  night.  On 
one  occasion  Richard  saw  them  lead  the 
wires  he  had  brought  into  the  window  to 


44  T^^  Electrical  Boy. 

what  seemed  a  great  bird,  attached  to  a 
toy  balloon.  To  Richard's  astonishment, 
the  bird  and  balloon  began  to  fly  around 
the  room  with  the  wires  trailing  from  it. 
He  heard  the  men  laus^h  with  delisfht. 

The  visitor  said,  "  We  can  run  an  over- 
head wire  from  Boston  to  New  York, 
attach  a  trolley  wire  to  it,  and  our  flying- 
machine  can  soar  over  the  houses  and 
trees.  If  we  only  had  some  money  we 
could  prove  this  to  every  one's  satisfac- 
tion." The  man  suddenly  checked  him- 
self,  and  looked  toward  Richard's  bunk. 
"  Is  your  boy  asleep }  "  he  whispered  to 
Richard's  master. 

The  old  man  nodded,  and  taking  a 
candle  held  it  full  in  Richard's  face.  The 
boy  feigned  to  be  asleep,  and  stood  the 
test,  breathing  soundly.  The  two  men 
then  turned  again  to  the  flying-machine, 
and  tried  all  manner  of  experiments  with 
it.     The  little  electrical  motor  which  set  it 


"To    PaCHARD'S    ASTONISHMENT,     THE    BIRD    AND    THE    BALLOON 
BEGAN    TO    ELY    AROUND    THE    ROOM."  —  Pdjje   -i4. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  45 

in  motion  was  changed  to  another  larger 
one  ;  the  balloon  portion  was  modified  in 
shape,  and  different  sized  wings  or  vanes 
were  added  to  it.  These  changes  required 
patient  labor,  and  Richard  insensibly  fell 
asleep,  to  dream  of  floating  over  land  and 
sea  on  the  wings  of  electricity.  He  was 
aroused  before  dawn  to  be  lowered  out  of 
the  window  to  disconnect  the  wires.  And 
so  night  after  night  was  passed  during 
many  months.  One  evening  the  flying- 
machines  were  tried  again,  and  Richard's 
master  was  in  long  consultation  with  the 
same  man  who  so  frequently  visited  the 
shop.  The  two  men  were  evidently  angry 
with  each  other,  for  they  disputed  hotly  over 
the  mechanism.  In  the  midst  of  their 
wrangling  a  bell  sounded  in  the  shop. 

"  Some  one  is  entering  below,"  whis- 
pered the  old  man,  hoarsely.  "  I  arranged 
an  electrical  circuit  which  would  be  made 
on  the  entrance  of  any  one." 


4^  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Thus  saying,  he  and  his  companion 
hurriedly  took  the  parts  of  the  flying- 
machine  and  certain  other  inventions,  and 
stood  in  an  eager,  listening  attitude  at  the 
head  of  the  stairs.  Presently  they  rushed 
back  into  the  room.  The  old  man  hustled 
Richard  out  of  bed ;  the  lights  were  ex- 
tinguished ;  the  two  wires  were  thrown  out 
of  the  window,  and  the  men  and  the  boy 
stumbled  in  the  darkness  down  a  back 
stairway.  They  were  hotly  pursued ;  for 
they  had  hardly  gained  the  street  before 
footsteps  could  be  heard  on  the  stairway. 
The  men  quickly  separated,  the  old  man 
taking  Richard  with  him.  In  a  few  mo- 
ments he  suddenly  changed  his  plans,  and 
telling  Richard  that  he  must  shift  for 
himself,  he  disappeared  in  the  labyrinth 
of  streets.  Richard  stood  irresolute  for  a 
moment.  Was  he  to  be  thrust  again  with- 
out friends  or  money  upon  the  strange 
world  ?     He  resolved  to  return  to  the  shop 


The  Electrical  Boy.  47 

and  see  what  had  happened.  Accordingly 
he  sought  the  entrance  to  the  place  which 
had  sheltered  him  during  the  past  months, 
and  for  which  he  felt  a  strono;  affection. 
He  found  the  shop  full  of  men  who  were 
accompanied  by  policemen.  Richard  stood 
in  the  doorway  of  what  had  been  the  only 
pleasant  home  he  had  known,  and  saw 
it  filled  with  strange  men  who  ransacked 
every  nook. 

One  of  the  men  said  to  the  others, 
"  How  the  old  fellow  connected  those 
wires  to  the  line  wires,  and  stole  our 
electricity,   I  don't  see." 

The  other  men  went  to  the  windows 
and  looked  out.  Richard  felt  that  he  had 
a  personal  interest  in  the  matter,  and  ac- 
cordingly stood  behind  the  door  and 
peered  through   the  crack. 

"  No  one  can  tell  how  long  the  man 
stole  our  electricity,"  continued  the  first 
speaker.     "  In  the  middle  of  the  night  the 


48  The  Electrical  Boy. 

electric  lights  on  our  circuit  often  went 
out,  and  in  the  morning  our  men,  ex- 
amining the  line,  would  find  it  all  right. 
No  one  could  see  that  the  insulation  had 
been  scratched  off  the  wires  beneath  this 
window.  In  fact  it  is  impossible  to  reach 
the  wires,  apparently,  from  this  window  or 
from  the  street.  Here  are  the  wires  con- 
nected, however,  and  the  thief  has  fled." 

"  Let  us  place  a  man  here  in  hiding," 
said  another  speaker.  "  The  old  fellow 
will  come  back  after  a  time  to  his  haunt, 
and  we  shall  catch   him." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  49 


CHAPTER   IV. 

GREATMAN    IS    THROWN    ON    THE    WORLD 
AGAIN. 

p  ICHARD  crept  slowly  and  stealthily 
down  the  dark  stairway.  He  seemed 
to  have  suddenly  grown  older  under  the 
tension  of  feeling  to  which  he  had  been 
subjected.  He  must  find  the  old  man  who 
had  been  so  kind  to  him,  and  warn  him  o: 
the  man  who  lay  in  wait  for  him.  Was  it 
possible  that  his  benefactor  was  doing 
wrong  .f*  What  was  right,  and  what  was 
wrons:.'*  He  knew  that  drinkins:  and  fio-ht- 
ing  were  wrong,  for  his  mother  had  told  him 
so.  When  the  boy  reached  the  street,  he 
stood  irresolute,  not  knowing  where  to  go. 
He  must  warn  the  old  man  ;  yet  where 
should  he  find  him  ?  Perhaps  the  best  plan 
4 


50  The  Electrical  Boy. 

would  be  to  bide  near  tbe  door.  Tbis 
tbe  boy  proceeded  to  do.  He  bad  not 
calculated,  bowever,  upon  tbe  pangs  of 
bunger.  Toward  tbe  middle  of  tbe  fol- 
lowing day  be  left  bis  biding-place,  and 
proceeded  into  tbe  crowded  streets.  He 
remembered  tbat  Bill  bad  obtained  some 
pennies  by  begging,  wbicb  bad  been  con- 
verted into  buns.  Ricbard  accordingly 
stood  near  a  building  into  wbicb  people 
were  streaming,  took  off  bis  bat,  and  beld 
out  bis  band.  He  did  not  reflect  tbat 
tbe  old  man  bad  fitted  bim  out  in  a  fairly 
respectable  suit  of  clotbes.  It  is  true  tbat 
tbe  boy  wore  an  old  man's  bat  and  an  old 
man's  pair  of  sboes ;  but  be  looked  well 
cared  for.  He  was  not  tbe  tattered  little 
specimen  of  bumanity  wbo  figured  as 
Bill's  brotber  on  tbe  nigbt  tbey  botb 
stood  in  front  of  tbe  tbeatre.  Tbe  boy  s 
appearance  evoked  laugbter  ratber  tban 
pity ;   and  a  number  of  newsboys  set  upon 


The  Electrical  Boy.  51 

him,  tore  off  his  old  hat,  and  used  it  as 
a  football.  Others  caught  hold  of  his 
lono^  coat-tail,  and  twirled  him  about.  In 
the  scrimmage  the  big  shoes  came  off,  and 
they  were  soon  flying  overhead,  aimed 
at  the  hat,  which  was  thrown  up  in  the 
air.  Richard  stood  at  length  with  his 
back  to  the  wall,  his  face  deathly  white, 
warding  off  the  attacks  of  his  tormenters 
with  elbow  in  front  of  his  face. 

At  length,  to  his  delight,  he  saw  Bill, 
who  had  rescued  him  before,  and  he  cried 
out,  "  Bill,  Bill,  help  me  !  " 

"  Well,  I  declare  !  "  exclaimed  Bill,  push- 
ing aside  the  other  newsboys.  "  Here  's 
an  old  friend  of  mine.  Come,  you  stop 
now,"  —  to  a  boy  who  was  tormenting  Rich- 
ard. The  boy  not  minding  Bill's  words, 
the  latter  coolly  knocked  him  down,  and 
remarked  to  the  other  tormenters  that  he 
stood  ready  to  treat  the  rest  in  the  same 
way.      This    was  his  friend ;   it  would  be 


52  The  Electrical  Boy. 

well  to  bring  back  the  hat  and  shoes,  If 
they  knew  what  was  good  for  them.  Two 
boys  accordingly  brought  up  one  of  the 
big  shoes,  bending  heavily  and  grotesquely, 
as  if  it  were  a  great  burden  sufHcient  to 
nearly  break  their  backs.  Bill  gave  them 
a  twist  this  way  and  that,  and  said,  "  Come, 
stop  your  fooling ;  no  more  of  it,  if  you 
know  what  is  good  for  you." 

The  boys  brought  up  the  other  shoe 
and  the  hat,  making  low  bows  to  Richard. 
Then  with  a  sudden  shout  they  cried, 
"  Times  !  Herald  !  Sun  !  "  and  rushed  off, 
filling  the  street  with  their  clamor.  Bill 
looked  at  his  bundle  of  newspapers,  and 
apparently  wished  to  be  off  too ;  but  a 
certain  interest  and  curiosity  in  his  little 
friend  detained  him.  He  would  like  to 
know  what  the  policeman  had  done  to 
him,  and  where  he  had  obtained  those 
queer  clothes. 

"  Look    here,   young    chap,"    said    he ; 


The  Electrical  Boy.  53 

"  take  some  of  these  papers,  and  see  if 
you  can  sell  em.  I  'U  give  you  a  com- 
mission on  what  you  sell."  Richard  had 
not  the  slightest  notion  of  the  nature  of 
a  commission ;  but  he  took  the  papers, 
and  followed  Bill  into  the  thick  of  the 
crowd,  imitating  his  cry  of  "Herald! 
Tribune!  terrible  murder!"  He  felt  faint 
with  hunger;  but  excitement  buoyed  him 
up.  Finally  Bill  sat  down  on  the  granite 
steps  of  the  post-ofifice  building,  and  made 
a  count  of  the  papers.  Richard  had  re- 
ceived more  money  than  the  papers  he 
had  sold  amounted  to  ;  for  many  persons 
had  been  amused  by  his  nondescript  little 
fif^ure,  and  had  rushed  away  without  wait- 
ing for  change. 

Bill  o-ave  a  lono:  whistle  as  he  counted 
the  change,  and    remarked,  — 

"  I  guess  you  '11  be  a  good  partner  for 
me.  Come,  let 's  get  something  to  eat." 
Thus  saying  he  arose,  and   took    Richard 


54  The  Electrical  Boy. 

into  a  bakery,  where  he  bought  the  most 
indigestible  and  highest  colored  articles 
that  were  obtainable  for  a  few  pennies. 
The  two  boys  then  retired  to  a  seat  in  a 
public  park,  and  Richard  told  Bill  what 
had  happened  during  the  months  they  had 
been  separated.  Bill  heard  the  account 
of  the  old  man,  and  his  queer  flying  birds 
held  by  wires,  with  great  scepticism. 
"Wires  couldn't  make  a  bird  fly.  Guess 
the  wires  were  only  to  hold  the  bird,  just 
as  a  toy  balloon  is  held."  He  did  not  see 
why  the  old  man  wanted  to  lower  Rich- 
ard out  of  the  window  to  attach  the  wires 
to  the  electric-light  wires. 

"  The  men  said  that  electricity  came  in 
on  the  wires,"  replied  Richard.  "  What 
is  electricity  } " 

Bill  answered,  out  of  the  abundance  of 
his  knowledsfe, — 

"Why,  electricity  is  all  round  us.  It's 
in     those     electric     lights     yonder.       It   * 


The  Elect7'ical  Boy.  55 

makes  the  tickers  in  the  telegraph-office 
work." 

"  Well,  it  made  the  bird  fly,"  continued 
Richard ;  "  and  the  old  man  said  we  should 
all  go  flying  over  the  tops  of  the  houses  in 
the  machine  with  a  trolley  wire  running 
along  an  overhead  wire.  That  is  just 
what  they  said.  I  wish  I  could  find  the 
old  man,  for  he  was  kind  to  me,  and  I 
want  to  tell  him  there  's  a  man  waiting 
to  catch  him." 

"  I  guess  he 's  skipped,"  remarked  Bill. 
"  He  knows  too  much  to  venture  back. 
You  are  the  completest  daisy  I  've  met,  — 
but  you  seem  to  know  how  to  make 
money." 

Bill  told  Richard  that  he  had  risen  in 
the  world  since  last  they  met.  He  had 
several  boys  working  for  him  selling 
papers,  and  he  proposed  to  enlarge  his 
business.  The  worst  of  it  was  that  old 
Smiles,  where  he  slept  for  the  night,  in- 


56  The  Elcch'ical  Boy. 

sisted  upon  taking  a  large  part  of  his 
earnings  and  those  of  the  other  boys  for 
nights'  lodgings.  Bill  said  that  he  would 
take  Richard  home  with  him,  and  Smiles 
would  orive  him  a  corner.  Before  turnino: 
in,  however,  for  the  night,  the  last  edition 
of  newspapers  must  be  hawked  about  the 
streets. 

Thus  saying.  Bill  arose,  and  accompa- 
nied closely  by  Richard,  repaired  to  the 
offices  where  the  newspapers  were  ob- 
tained. On  getting  his  bundle,  he  dis- 
tributed them  to  several  boys  who  were 
apparently  under  him ;  and  he  gave  a 
portion  also  to  Richard,  and  instructed 
him  to  cry  the  papers  in  front  of  several 
theatres  and  hotels,  and  he  would  join 
him  and  take  him  to  Smiles's  when  the 
newspapers  were  sold.  Accordingly,  Rich- 
ard took  the  papers,  and  proceeded  through 
the  crowded  streets,  crying  out  the  names 
of  the  papers  lustily. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  57 

Richard  as  a  business  venture  for  Bill 
proved  very  successful ;  for  the  queer  look- 
ing little  boy  in  his  old  man's  hat  and 
his  large  shoes,  with  his  shrill  but  musical 
young  voice,  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
merry  theatre-goers  and  the  young  gentle- 
men who  were  passing  in  and  out  of  their 
great  club-houses.  After  a  while,  how- 
ever, every  one  had  bought  his  evening 
paper,  and  Richard  received  no  more 
pennies.  The  night  was  growing  cold, 
and  the  little  boy  felt  afraid  that  his  com- 
panion might  not  find  him.  There  was 
a  pathetic  tone  in  his  newspaper  cry  which 
touched  the  heart  of  a  young  man  who 
was  hurrying  with  a  friend  to  the  theatre. 
He  stopped,  and  felt  in  his  pocket  for  a 
piece  of  money  to  give  the  boy;  but  his 
companion  hurried  him  on,  saying,  "  That 
whine  is  all  put  on,  old  fellow;  don't 
throw  your  money  away,"  and  he  pro- 
ceeded to  tell  of  young  imposters  whom 


58  TJie  Electrical  Boy. 

he  had  seen  in  the  streets  of  New  York. 
Richard  ran  after  the  two  young  men,  in 
the  hopes  of  selling  another  paper,  and  on 
being  repulsed,  sat  down  on  the  steps  of 
a  closed  store  to  rest  himself.  Presently 
he  curled  himself  up  and  fell  fast  asleep. 
While  he  was  in  this  position  the  young 
gentleman  and  young  girl  who  had  given 
the  boy  some  pennies  on  the  rainy  night, 
months  ago,  passed  by.  The  little  girl 
drew  her  brother's  attention  to  the  sleep- 
ing boy,  and  both  bent  over  him.  A 
great  feeling  of  compassion  was  in  their 
hearts  as  they  saw  the  pinched  face  rest- 
ing upon  the  bundle  of  newspapers.  The 
little  girl  wished  to  take  the  boy  home, 
and  give  him  a  good  suit  of  clothes  and 
something  to  eat.  Her  brother  smiled, 
and  said  this  was  impossible.  They  would 
put  a  quarter  of  a  dollar  in  his  hand.  So 
Mabel  Gresham  took  the  quarter  from  her 
brother  and  closed   the   little  boy's  hand 


The  Electrical  Boy,  59 

upon  it.  Richard  awoke  suddenly  from 
his  sound  sleep,  and  cried  out  quickly, 
"  Herald,  Times,  Sun  —  terrible  murder  !  " 
Then  his  large  eyes  rested  upon  the  two 
persons  who  stood  before  him  long  enough 
to  store  up  in  his  boyish  mind  a  picture 
which  was  destined  to  influence  his  life. 

Mabel  Gresham  followed  her  brother, 
looking  back  with  a  face  of  such  pity 
and  interest  that  it  made  the  little  chap 
draw  sobbing  breaths  —  he  knew  not 
why. 

The  failure  of  Bill  to  reappear,  and 
the  sense  of  utter  loneliness,  began  to 
have  their  effect,  and  he  set  off  on  a 
trot,  wailing  in  an  undertone.  He  had 
not  proceeded  far  when  he  met  Bill. 

The  joy  of  Richard  at  seeing  his  pro- 
tector was  so  great  that  it  fairly  over- 
whelmed Bill,  who  was  disposed  at  first 
to  take  a  matter-of  fact  view  of  the  situa- 
tion.     He  let    Richard    caress    his    hand, 


6o  The  Electrical  Boy. 

feeling  glad  that  there  were  none  of  the 
other  boys  round  to  see ;  and  counted 
the  number  of  Richard's  pennies.  He 
was  astonished  at  the  success  of  his  young 
lieutenant,  and  said  that  he  would  hire 
Richard  to  sell  papers  for  him. 

On  the  way  to  old  Smiles's  tenement, 
Bill  informed  Richard  that  there  were  all 
sorts  of  chaps  in  the  tenement,  and  he 
did  not  like  the  things  some  of  the  boys 
did.  As  for  himself,  he  had  determined 
to  stop  larking,  and  to  make  money.  He 
was  going  to  ride  in  his  carriage  some 
day,  and  have  a  splendid  house.  Richard 
hoped  to  be  remembered  when  this  for- 
tune came,  and  Bill  promised  not  to  forget 
him. 

Certainly  the  boys'  quarters  for  the  night 
did  not  seem  to  be  on  the  road  to  fortune. 
Old  Smiles  kept  a  junk  store  in  the  base- 
ment of  his  tenement,  and  let  the  rooms 
above  to  many  poor  families.     The  garret 


The  Electrical  Boy.  6i 

was  the  place  of  refuge  of  street  Arabs 
who  could  give  five  cents  for  a  night's 
lod2:ing:.  The  larQ-e  bare  room  under 
the  rafters  was  fitted  with  shelves  against 
the  walls,  and  these  shelves  were  let  to  the 
boys  for  beds. 

When  Bill  arrived  with  his  charge,  he 
was  greeted  by  shouts  from  ten  or  fifteen 
newsboys,  who  had  already  secured  their 
shelves  for  the  night.  Richard's  protec- 
tor was  evidently  a  man  of  authority,  for 
he  speedily  quelled  the  turbulent  crowd, 
and  proceeded  to  ask  the  boys  for  an  ac- 
count of  their  sales  of  newspapers.  Rich- 
ard saw  pennies  deposited  upon  the  floor, 
and  heard  Bill  exact  an  account  from 
each  boy  of  the  sales.  Then  Bill  pre- 
sented Richard  to  the  boys,  and  showed 
them  how  successful  the  small  boy  had 
been.  One  boy  remarked  that  he  could 
make  twice  the  amount  with  Richard's 
hat  and  shoes.      The    levity   of    this    boy 


62  The  Electrical  Boy. 

was  quickly  crushed  by  Bill,  and  he  then 
told  the  boys  that  he  proposed  to  take 
them  into  the  country  on  the  morrow. 
Various  suggestions  were  quickly  made 
in  regard  to  desirable  directions ;  but  Bill 
Lark  settled  the  question  by  saying  de- 
cidedly that  he  proposed  to  conduct  the 
party.  Richard  went  to  sleep  with  a 
happy  anticipation  of  something  pleasur- 
able to  come.  Bill  had  put  a  bundle  of 
old  newspapers  under  the  little  boy's  head, 
and  had  thrown  an  old  ragged  coat  over 
him. 


The  Electrical  Boy,  63 


CHAPTER  V. 

Greatman's  Friend,  and  Electricity 
AND  Carrier  Pigeons. 

Tj^ARLY  in  the  morning  the  boys  set 
out  under  the  lead  of  Bill  Lark,  took 
a  horse-car  into  the  suburbs  of  the  city, 
and  then  struck  for  the  open  country. 
The  boys  were  like  puppy-dogs  released 
from  their  kennels,  and  bounded  over  the 
fields  and  rolled  in  the  grass,  which  was 
full  of  white  daisies.  Richard  had  never 
seen  green  fields  studded  with  daisies 
before,  and  he  grasped  at  all  he  could  as 
he  bounded  along  with  the  rest.  There 
was  a  strange  joy  in  his  heart  as  he  heard 
the  birds  sing  and  the  sound  of  the  brook 
over  the  stones.  The  great  distant  city 
with  its  loathsome  dens  was  forgotten. 


64  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Bill  Lark  had  once  been  taken  into  the 
country  by  a  benevolent  association,  to- 
gether with  a  hundred  other  little  waifs, 
and  had  been  kept  under  such  strict  sur- 
veillance by  sharp-voiced  people  who  were 
continually  issuing  restrictive  orders  not 
to  touch  anything,  that  he  had  resolved 
some  day  to  be  master  himself  and  con- 
duct some  boys  into  the  country,  and  show 
them  how  to  have  a  good  time.  It  re- 
quired, however,  all  his  generalship  to 
keep  the  wild  things  within  bounds.  They 
climbed  trees,  broke  off  branches,  slashed 
one  another  with  them,  got  to  fighting, 
went  in  swimmins:  and  came  near  drown- 
ing,  stole  into  gardens  and  brought  away 
early  vegetables.  Bill's  voice  became 
hoarse  from  issuing  orders,  and  when  he 
got  his  crowd  of  stragglers  together  in  a 
clover  field,  he  made  them  sit  down  to 
hear  an  address  from  him  which  was  sin- 
gularly like  that  given  by  the  disagreeable 


The  Electrical  Boy.  65 

man  who  conducted  the  party  on  which 
Bill  had  gotten  his  idea  for  a  personally 
conducted  expedition. 

While  Bill  was  speaking  a  boy  appeared, 
accompanied  by  a  fierce  bull-dog.  This 
young  gentleman,  seeing  some  ragamuffins 
in  his  father's  clover-field,  instantly  set  the 
fierce  dog  on  them.  The  dog  sprang  at 
Richard.  Bill  immediately  grasped  the 
animal  by  the  throat.  The  dog  turned 
upon  the  larger  boy ;  and  Richard,  terrified 
at  the  attack  of  the  savage  beast  upon  his 
friend,  seized  hold  of  its  hind  leg,  and 
strove  with  all  his  might  to  save  Bill, 
while  the  other  boys  fled  in  various  direc- 
tions. Bill  kept  his  hands  upon  the  throat 
of  the  animal  and  tried  to  keep  its  teeth 
from  biting.  The  boy  felt  that  the  strug- 
gle was  desperate.  If  he  released  his  hold 
there  was  no  hope  for  him  ;  he  therefore 
exerted  all  his  strength,  and  with  set  teeth 
and  mouth  which  foamed  with  the  effort, 
s 


66  The  Electrical  Boy. 

with  eyes  which  made  Richard  scream 
from  apprehension  of  great  evil  to  come, 
tightened  his  grasp  on  the  bull-dog's 
throat.  The  animal  choked  and  foamed ; 
the  blood-shot  eyes  protruded  from  its 
head.  Bill's  grasp  was  a  death-grasp,  and 
was  Hke  steel.  In  a  moment  the  boy 
forced  the  dog  to  the  ground,  pressed 
his  knees  against  its  panting  body,  and 
then  the  dog  became  quiet  and  still.  Bill 
looked  up  at  Richard  with  a  blanched  face 
and  white  lips,  and  said,  "  I  Ve  killed  him; 
I  've  strangled  him.     Where  's  the  boy }  " 

The  owner  of  the  dog  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen. 

*'  He  's  gone  back  to  the  house  for  some 
men  to  arrest  us,"  said  Bill.  "  I  've  killed 
his  dog;  we  must  make  ourselves  scarce." 
Thus  saying,  with  one  look  at  the  pros- 
trate animal,  he  fled,  followed  closely  by 
Richard.  The  two  boys  scampered 
through  the  lanes  where  they  had  been  so 


The  Electrical  Boy.  67 

happy,  doubled  through  copses  of  hazel 
where  they  had  heard  the  birds  sing,  and 
after  a  long  run  came  to  the  low  hovels  of 
one  of  the  suburbs  of  the  city.  Strange 
to  think  that  the  beautiful  pure  country 
with  its  clover  fields,  its  brooks,  and  its 
birds,  was  an  unsafe  place  for  them,  and 
that  their  only  safety  was  in  the  crowded, 
impure  haunts  of  the  great  city,  where 
not  a  green  thing  or  a  flower  was  to  be 
seen ! 

When  Bill  reached  the  neighborhood  of 
the  newspaper  offices  he  seemed  to  feel 
that  his  foot  was  again  upon  his  native 
heath.  He  was  joined  at  length  by  the 
other  boys  who  had  accompanied  him  into 
the  country ;  and  while  they  waited  for  the 
next  edition  of  the  newspapers,  Bill  told 
the  story  of  his  adventures  a  hundred  times, 
and  exhibited  the  muscle  of  his  arms  to  an 
admiring  throng.  When  the  papers  ap- 
peared, he  distributed  them  to  his  adher- 


68  The  Electrical  Boy. 

ents,  giving  them  specific  orders,  and  then 
ran  off,  hatless,  with  his  curly  locks 
blown  back  by  the  wind,  crying,  "  Herald  ! 
Tribune !  Terrible  fight  atween  a  boy 
and  a  bull-dog! " 

The  good  feeling  between  Bill  and 
Richard  deepened  with  their  knowledge  of 
each  other.  "  He  's  a  plucky  little  chap," 
said  Bill  to  his  acquaintances.  "  He 
caught  right  hold  of  that  bull-dog  and 
yanked  like  a  good  one."  The  boy  said 
to  himself,  "  Richard  Greatman  is  very 
fond  of  me,  and  I  like  to  have  somebody 
like    me." 

The  lesson  of  distrust  Is  learned  very 
early.  The  owner  of  the  bull-dog  might 
have  tried  the  interesting  experiment  of 
inviting  the  newsboys  to  his  house  and 
giving  them  a  lunch.  He  might  have 
taken  them  into  the  park  to  see  the  swans 
and  the  deer,  and  have  dismissed  them 
with  their  pockets  laden  with  the  fruit  that 


The  Electrical  Boy.  69 

was  rotting  on  the  ground,  and  with  their 
hands  full  of  the  roses  that  would  be  too 
full  blown  if  they  were  not  picked.  It 
would  have  been  an  interesting  experi- 
ment, we  repeat,  and  one  well  worth  try- 
ing. The  owner  of  the  dog  tried  an 
experiment,  the  origin  of  which  is  lost 
in  the  dark  ages,  and  which  has  never 
been  successful.  He  did  his  part  to  edu- 
cate a  class  whose  hands  would  be  asfainst 
the  recognized  order  of  society.  He  could 
be  called  an  excellent  teacher  of  distrust. 
You  and  I,  however,  do  not  want  our 
fields  overrun  by  riotous  boys,  the  limbs 
of  our  trees  broken  down,  and  our  birds 
stoned.  This  is  what  happens  now;  and 
the  times  seem  to  be  ripe  for  trying  an 
experiment  such  as  we  have  suggested  to 
the  owner  of  the  dosf. 

O 

The  lesson  in  distrust  which  the  world 
was  teaching  Bill  Lark  and  Richard  was 
often   repeated.     One  afternoon   the  boys 


70  The  Electrical  Boy. 

saw  the  doors  of  a  church  open,  and  cau- 
tiously entered  the  edifice.  They  were 
standing  awe-struck  before  the  altar,  won- 
dering at  the  inscriptions  on  the  wall, 
some  of  which  seemed  to  be  addressed 
to  them,  when  a  portly  sexton  with  a  loud 
"  St !  "  and  a  stamp  of  the  foot  drove  them 
out  of  the  church.  They  hung  about  the 
door,  however,  for  people  had  begun  to 
enter,  and  they  remarked  the  obsequious- 
ness of  the  sexton  to  the  well-dressed. 
We  understand  how  to  develop  a  dry 
plate.  There  must  not  be  rough  hand- 
ling, rude  jostling  of  the  silver  molecules. 
The  treatment  must  be  careful  and  sys- 
tematic. The  first  impression  rules  all 
the  subsequent  treatment ;  and  the  human 
brain  is  not  unlike  a  dry  plate. 

Bill  Lark's  career  had  been  greatly  in- 
fluenced by  a  chance  remark  of  Henry 
Gresham.  The  boy  had  come  to  the 
window   of    the    club    in    obedience    to  a 


The  Electrical  Boy.  71 

summons  from  the  young  man.  Having 
bought  a  newspaper,  the  young  man  asked 
him  if  he  would  take  a  message  to  a 
neighboring  hotel  for  ten  cents.  The 
boy  signified  his  willingness,  and  the 
young  man  told  him  he  w^ould  pay  him 
on  his  bringing  the  answer  to  his  mes- 
sage. Bill  ran  round  the  corner,  and 
hired  another  boy  to  do  the  errand  for 
two  cents,  and  employed  his  time  in 
selling  newspapers  meanwhile.  Henry 
Gresham  was  informed  by  his  club  friends 
that  the  boy  he  hired  to  run  his  errand 
was  selling  newspapers  in  front  of  the 
club.  The  young  man,  in  high  indigna- 
tion, beckoned  to  the  boy.  At  that  in- 
stant Bill's  messenger  came  back,  and  Bill 
delivered  the  message  to  Gresham,  ex- 
plaining the  transaction  with,  "  You  see, 
sir,  I  could  hire  a  pair  of  legs,  and  keep 
the  sale  of  the  newspapers." 

"  You    will   succeed    in    the   world,   my 


72  The  Electrical  Boy. 

little  fellow,"  exclaimed  Gresham,  patting 
him  on  the  back.  "  You  will  be  governor 
of  the  State  yet." 

"  The  little  chap  was  not  honorable," 
said  a  friend  of  Gresham,  "  in  undertak- 
ing your  errand,  without  intending  to 
carry  it   out  himself." 

"  That  is  too  fine  a  point  of  honor  for 
a  street  Arab,"  replied  Gresham.  "Doubt- 
less he  should  have  told  me  that  he  in- 
tended to  hire  some  one  to  work  for  him ; 
but  this  is  expecting  too  much  from  a  boy 
that  has   probably  never  had  a  father  or 

mother  who  could  teach  him  what  honor 
•    >) 

IS. 

An  old  gentleman,  who  overheard  the 
conversation  of  the  young  men,  remarked, 
"  The  sense  of  honor  develops  as  one 
grows  older.  A  child  does  not  realize 
what  injustice  and  wrong  is  often  done  by 
his  not  understanding  what  his  obligations 
to  society  are." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  73 

Henry  Gresham  thought  that  this  might 
be  true ;  he  resolved  to  help  the  boy,  for 
there  was  the  germ  of  something  that 
might  be  a  powerful  agent  for  good  or 
for  evil.  The  resolve  to  help  Bill  Lark 
slumbered  in  the  young  man's  brain. 
Whenever  he  saw  the  boy  actively  moving 
on  the  street  and  marshalling  his  adher- 
ents, distributing  papers  to  one  boy  and 
directing  another,  the  resolve  came  near 
being  executed.  A  luxurious  life,  how- 
ever, and  the  pursuit  of  his  own  pleasures, 
prevented  the  poor  boy  from  receiving 
the  fruit  of  the  young  man's  sympathy. 
Bill  Lark  was  out  in  all  v/eathers,  in 
shoes  from  which  the  toes  protruded, 
and  in  thin  clothes  which  had  to  an- 
swer for  both  summer  and  winter.  The 
habit  of  putting  his  little  fists  in  his 
ragged  pockets  gave  a  bent  look  to  a 
figure  which  was  naturally  straight  and 
alert. 


74  The  Electrical  Boy. 

A  word  properly  timed  can  have  great 
influence  on  us  all.  The  boys  capacity 
for  making  others  work  for  him  had 
been  recognized  by  the  most  popular 
young  man  of  the  club,  and  the  boy's 
ready  mind  dwelt  upon  enlarged  plans  of 
action.  He  was  a  born  leader,  and  he 
speedily  had  a  force  of  small  boys  work- 
ing for  him,  among  whom  was  Richard 
Greatman. 

As  the  days  and  months  sped  on,  Bill 
Lark  and  Richard  became  very  intimate. 
The  older  boy  found  that  Richard  could 
telegraph,  and  read  the  messages  outside 
the  telegraph  offices,  and  he  strove  hard 
to  learn  the  art ;  but  he  made  little 
progress.  The  smaller  boy  had  an  instinct 
for  electrical  apparatus.  The  instruction 
in  the  old  man's  shop  had  been  his 
only  education,  and  he  had  profited 
much  from  it.  He  remembered  how  the 
old  man  made  batteries  from  broken  bot- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  75 

ties  by  half  filling  these  broken  bottles 
with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
and  placing  little  porous  flower-pots,  with 
corks  in  the  holes  at  the  bottom,  in  the 
solution  of  sulphate  of  copper,  and  fill- 
ing the  flow^er-pots  with  salt  and  water. 
When  a  piece  of  copper  was  placed  in  the 
sulphate  of  copper  and  a  piece  of  zinc 
in  the  salt  and  water,  on  connecting  the 
copper  and  the  zinc  by  a  wire  a  current  of 
electricity  was  obtained,  which  was  suf^- 
cient,  if  several  cells  were  made,  to  work 
a  little  electro-magnet  and  to  ring  bells. 
Richard  strove  to  imitate  what  he  had 
helped  the  old  man  to  do ;  and  the  other 
boys  in  the  garret  looked  on  when  they 
were  not  too  sleepy  to  keep  awake. 

Bill's  strong  points  did  not  include  the 
use  of  his  fingers  ;  but  he  could  use  his 
head  to  Q-et  others  to  w'ork  for  him.  He 
had  one  recreation,  however,  which  also  in- 
terested Richard  greatly.     This  was  flying 


76  TJie  Electrical  Boy. 

carrier  pigeons.  Bill  had  built  a  dove-cot 
in  a  window  of  the  attic  with  his  own 
hands,  and  had  raised  a  little  colony  of 
these  swift  birds.  Each  carrier  pigeon 
had  a  brass  ring  slipped  upon  its  leg 
when  it  was  young.  As  it  grew  older, 
the  brass  ring  could  not  pass  over  the 
cla.ws,  and  could  not  therefore  be  lost. 
On  this  brass  ring  was  inscribed  Bill's 
name  and  address.  Bill  had  an  elderly 
acquaintance,  an  engineer  on  the  fast 
express  to  Chicago,  who  was  also  inter- 
ested in  carrier  pigeons.  This  friend 
often  took  a  pigeon  in  a  basket  on  his 
engine,  and  when  he  got  two  or  three 
hundred  miles  from  New  York  he  re- 
leased the  pigeon ;  and  the  little  bird 
would  flutter  around  in  the  air  for  a 
while,  rising  higher  and  higher,  and  finally 
from  a  great  height  would  strike  out 
through  the  vast  space  for  its  New  York 
home.     Its  arrival  in  New  York  was  care- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  77 

fully  recorded  by  whoever  happened  to 
be  near  the  dove-cot.  The  small  boys 
knew  that  Bill's  friend,  the  engineer, 
bet  money  on  the  time  of  arrival  of  the 
birds;  and  desirous  of  being  like  men, 
they  also  bet  their  pennies  on  the  birds. 
Bill  could  not  see  how  betting  could  be 
interesting.  He  was  desirous  of  seeing 
how  far  the  birds  could  be  carried,  and 
yet  find  their  way  back.  fie  delighted 
in  receiving  news  of  birds  which  had  been 
found,  and  had  been  given  up  for  lost,  and 
he  was  desirous  of  owning  birds  which 
had  broken  previous  records.  These  re- 
cords were  carefully  given  in  a  daily 
paper. 

The  intimacy  between  the  engineer  and 
the  small  boys  did  not  extend  beyond  the 
carrier  pigeons.  Bill  often  looked  long- 
ingly at  the  great  engine  of  the  fast  ex- 
press as  it  panted  in  the  station  ready  to 
take   its   flying  trip.     The   shining  brass, 


jS  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the  great  levers,  and  the  multitude  of  me- 
chanical curiosities  filled  him  with  a  great 
desire  to  know  more  oi  them.  The  enei- 
neer  might  have  taken  the  little  boy  with 
him  and  gained  a  love  that  was  reaching 
out  eagerly  for  some  human  recognition. 
The  engineer  had  his  own  little  boys  at 
home.  It  was  sufficient,  however,  to  him 
to  know  that  they  went  to  school  regu- 
larly and  had  food  to  eat.  He  never  ex- 
plained anything  to  his  own  boys,  —  that 
was  a  teacher's  business.  Why  should  he 
show  any  interest  in  a  street  Arab,  out- 
side the  matter  of  the  pigeons }  Children 
were  a  nuisance,  anyway.  A  cigar  in  the 
engine-house  after  a  quick  run  to  Chicago, 
and  the  excitement  of  betting  on  the  car- 
rier pigeons'  swift  homeward  flight,  were 
far  more  to  him  than  human  love,  w»hich 
he  spent  his  whole  life  in  repulsing.  Was 
there  not  something  higher  and  nobler  in 
the  thrill  and  throbs  of  the  pigeon's  heart 


The  Electrical  Boy.  79 

as  it  drooped  its  wings  after  a  flight  of 
three  hundred  miles  over  cities,  rivers, 
and  forests,  and  crept  into  a  dove-cot  to 
find  its  mates,  than  in  this  dull,  unrespon- 
sive human  heart  ? 

Bill  Lark  concluded  after  a  time  to 
enter  the  employment  of  a  telegraph  com- 
pany as  a  messenger  boy.  He  retained 
his  command  of  the  newspaper  boys,  and 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  place  also  for 
Richard  as  a  telegraph  messenger. 

It  is  probable  that  the  interest  in  caring 
for  the  birds  and  in  managing  their  flights 
saved  the  boys  from  many  perils.  Their 
time  was  fully  taken  up  after  they  re- 
turned from  their  daily  work  in  feeding 
their  birds,  in  building  slight  additions  to 
the  dove-cot,  or  in  entering  an  account  of 
the  flights  in  a  little  diary  which  they  kept 
as  one  of  their  choicest  possessions. 

Richard  discovered  one  day  that  an  un- 
used telegraph  wire  was  strung  over  the 


8o  The  Electrical  Boy. 

roof  of  Siniles's  house.  The  telegraph 
men  at  the  office  said  that  it  had  better 
remain  up,  for  some  time  it  might  be 
wanted  again.  Richard  traced  its  course, 
and  discovered  that  it  led  to  a  distant 
part  of  the  city,  and  crossed  the  engine- 
house  into  which  Bills  acquaintance,  the 
engineer,  ran  the  engine  after  bringing  in 
the  fast  express.  This  wire  was  what  is 
called  a  "  dead  "  wire  ;  it  was  inactive,  and 
not  connected  with  a  battery  or  source 
of  electricity.  Richard  conceived  the  plan 
of  telegraphing  to  Bill's  friend,  the  en- 
gineer, the  arrival  of  the  birds.  He  ac- 
cordingly repaired  some  old  instruments 
which  he  had  begged  at  the  telegraph 
office,  and  placed  them  on  the  line.  He 
made  a  battery  out  of  pieces  of  iron  and 
bits  of  electric-light  carbons  which  he 
found  under  the  arc  lamps  in  the  streets, 
and  filled  it  with  salt  and  water.  He 
connected  the  dead  wire  by  means  of  a 


The  Electrical  Boy 


8i 


piece  of  copper  wire  with  the  iron  pole 
of  this  battery.  The  carbon  pole  he  con- 
nected with  the  water  pipe  in  the  attic. 
The  dead  wire  was  thus  in  circuit  with  the 


f^m^ 


ground.    At  the  engine-house  the  dead  wire 

was  also  connected  by  means  of  a  copper 

wire  with  the  electro-magnet  or  sounder, 

and  the  wire  from  the  electro-magnet  ran 

to  the  earth.     Whenever  Richard  touched 

his  key   the  line  was  connected  with  the 
6 


82  The  Electrical  Boy. 

battery,  and  a  current  of  electricity  passed 
over  the  wire,  which  was  no  longer  dead. 
The  current  flowed  through  the  coil  of 
the  electro-magnet.  An  electro-magnet 
is  simply  a  number  of  turns  of  copper  wire 
on  a  spool,  —  like  a  spool  of  thread,  with 
a  nail  thrust  through  the  hole  in  its 
middle.  The  electro-magnet  became  an 
attracting  magnet,  and  drew  a  little  piece 
of  soft*  iron  to  itself  with  a  loud  click. 
When  Richard  took  his  finsfers  from  his 
key  the  bit  of  iron  sprang  back,  since  it 
was  connected  with  a  spring.  A  certain 
number  of  taps  separated  by  suitable 
intervals  of  time  made  up  an  alphabet,  by 
means  of  which  the  arrival  of  the  birds 
was  announced. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  83 


CHAPTER   VI. 

GREATMAN    IS    LEFT    ALONE    AT   ONE    END 
OF    THE    LINE. 

npHE  guardian  angels  of  the  little  boys 
set  their  fingers  to  work  in  making 
telegraph  keys  with  which  they  could 
break  and  make  the  circuit  of  their  salt 
battery,  in  rewinding  the  coils  of  the  old 
telegraphic  sounders,  and  in  connecting 
them  properly  to  the  dead  telegraph  wire 
which  ran  across  the  great  city,  and 
making  it  no  longer  dead,  but  capable 
of  responding  to  the  touch  of  humanity. 
They  were  wise  guardian  angels,  for  they 
employed  the  restless  fingers  to  quiet  the 
restless  brains  of  the  small  boys.  There 
was  something,  too,  in  Bill's  and  Richard's 
natures  which  kept  them  from  the  vicious 


84  The  Electrical  Boy. 

habits  of  many  of  the  other  boys.  While 
boys  with  kind  parents  were  at  pleasant 
schools,  carefully  tended,  nourished,  and 
protected  from  the  contact  with  evil  asso- 
ciates, Richard  Greatman  and  Bill  Lark 
were  thrown  upon  the  world  without  a 
protector,  and  were  submitted  to  the  se- 
verest temptations.  The  little  attic  in  old 
Smiles's  house  was  a  stage  alternately  for 
comedy  and  tragedy. 

Richard  was  approached  on  one  occa- 
sion by  the  worst  boy  in  the  colony  to 
see  if  he  could  be  induced  to  join  in  the 
robbery  of  a  house.  Richards  indignant 
refusal  was  apparently  enjoyed  by  the  boy. 
The  endeavor  to  enlist  Richard  was  treated 
as  a  great  joke.  Late  one  night,  how- 
ever, two  policemen  entered  the  attic, 
and  roused  four  of  the  boys  from  heavy 
sleep.  Richard  shivered  in  his  bunk  as 
he  saw  the  terrified,  guilty  faces  of  his 
companions.       When     they    were    borne 


The  Electrical  Boy.  85 

away  by  the  policemen,  Richard  left  his 
wretched  bed  and  crept  into  the  one  in 
which  Bill  slept. 

"  Did  they  do  it  ?"  whispered  Richard. 

"  I  am  afraid  they  did,"  replied  Bill. 
"  I  heard  them  whispering  over  some- 
thing, and  showing  some  jewelry  to  each 
other." 

Richard  trembled,  and  his  little  hand 
crept  into  Bill's.  The  next  day  he  stood 
in  the  rain  with  the  crowd  by  the  court- 
house, and  saw  the  four  boys  put  into  a 
police  van  with  hardened  criminals,  and 
driven  away.  Could  he  ever  forget  the 
look  of  shame  on  the  faces  of  the  boys 
as  the  door  of  the  van  closed  on  them  } 

Other  boys  took  the  beds  of  those  who 
were  arrested,  and  the  dismal  life  in  the 
attic  went  on.  There  were  no  tender 
hands  to  repair  torn  garments,  to  place 
toilet  articles  on  the  rude  tables,  or  to 
give  the  atmosphere  of  a  home. 


86  The  Electrical  Boy, 

One  night  on  his  return  from  the  day's 
work,  Richard  found  Bill  very  sick.  He 
had  a  high  fever,  and  the  noise  made  by 
the  other  boys  distressed  him  extremely. 
Richard  entreated  the  boys  to  be  quiet, 
and  succeeded  finally  in  his  attempt. 
Then  he  ran  for  a  doctor,  to  whom  he 
had  often  carried  telegraphic  messages. 
The  serv^ant,  seeing  the  livery  of  a  tele- 
graph boy,  asked  for  the  message  in  order 
that  he  might  carry  it  to  his  master. 
Richard  said  that  he  desired  to  speak 
with  the  doctor.  He  was  told  that  he 
must  take  his  chance  after  several  who 
were  already  waiting.  The  small  boy  sat 
in  the  luxurious  office,  wondering  at  the 
pictures  on  the  wall,  at  the  comfortable 
chairs,  and  the  soft  carpet  beneath  his 
feet.  A  little  child  daintily  dressed  came 
into  the  room  while  the  telegraph  boy  sat 
there,  to  seek  for  a  book.  Then  the 
mother  followed  the  child.      Neither  saw 


The  Electrical  Boy.  87 

the  unkempt  telegraph  boy.  The  child 
reached  her  arms  up  to  the  mother's  neck, 
and  the  beautiful  woman  bent  down  to 
the  child  and  kissed  it,  and  the  two  passed 
out  like  a  vision.  Richard's  ears  were 
full  of  the  moans  of  his  little  friend;  he 
must  make  haste  to  get  the  doctor,  and  it 
seemed  an  age  before  the  servant  came 
again  to  say  that  he  was  mistaken,  and 
that  the  doctor  was  not  at  home.  Richard 
hurried  out.  Where  should  he  go  ?  He 
bethought  himself  of  a  friendly  apothecary 
who  had  given  him  a  glass  of  soda-water 
once  in  payment  for  bringing  him  a  tele- 
graphic message.     He  would  go  to  him. 

The  kind-hearted  apothecary  accompa- 
nied Richard  to  Smiles's  attic,  and  after 
looking  at  the  sick  boy,  went  away,  saying 
that  he  would  send  a  physician.  Richard 
sat  in  the  dim  light  of  a  lamp  beside  Bill, 
and  thought  how  dreadful  it  would  be  to 
lose  his  friend.     They  had  had  many  con- 


8S  The  Electrical  Boy. 

versations  together.  Bill  had  given  the 
little  boy  a  peep  into  a  world  of  love  and 
sympathy.  He  had  once  put  his  arm 
around  Richard's  neck.  If  Bill  should  be 
taken  away  the  attic  would  seem  indeed 
dreary. 

The  physician  finally  came  and  exam- 
ined the  sick  boy,  and  left  some  medicine, 
which  was  to  be  administered  at  regular 
inter\^als.  Richard  sat  watching  through 
the  weary  night.  He  did  not  go  to  the 
telegraph  ofhce  on  the  following  day. 
There  was  no  one  else  who  would  tend 
the  sick  boy.  The  physician  did  not  re- 
turn as  he  had  promised  to  do. 

Mr.  Augustus  Swamm,  a  gentleman  who 
took  an  interest  in  Richard,  looked  in  at 
the  central  office  and  inquired  for  the 
smart  little  telegraph  boy.  No  one  had 
seen  him  that  day.  One  of  the  messenger 
boys  who  boarded  at  Smiles's  said  that 
Richard    was   tending   a   sick   boy.      Mr. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  89 

Swamm  concluded  to  employ  another  boy. 
He  would  like  to  see  Richard  when  he 
came  again  to  his  daily  work.  Mean- 
while Richard  never  left  his  sick  friend. 
A  carrier  pigeon  came  in  from  its  long 
flight,  and  crept  exhausted  into  its  home, 
while  Richard  watched.  The  bird's  re- 
turn was  unnoticed. 

The  engineer  sat  in  the  engine-house, 
smoking  with  his  friends,  expecting  every 
moment  to  hear  the  clicking  of  the  electro- 
magnet announce  the  return  of  a  pigeon 
which  would  break  the  fastest  record,  and 
would  win  him  a  pretty  sum  of  money  on 
a  bet  he  had  made. 

"  Do  you  remember,"  said  Bill  Lark,  in 
a  moment  s  intermission  of  pain,  "  the 
church  we  strolled  into  one  afternoon, 
where  the  sexton  drove  us  out  ?  " 

Richard  had  a  very  live  recollection 
of  it. 

"  I  am  sort  of  afraid  now  when  it  grows 


90  The  Electrical  Boy 

dark  and  I  feel  faint.  I  never  used  to  be 
afraid  of  the  dark.  The  pictures  of  the 
angels  in  the  church  and  of  that  bright 
place  they  were  flying  to  is  heaven,  is  n't 
it.?  And  the  church  tells  us  how  to  get 
there." 

Richard  believed  that  this  was  so. 

"  People  must  be  sure  that  there  is  a 
heaven,  for  there  are  lots  of  churches  in 
New  York,"  murmured  the  boy,  catching 
his  breath  at  a  sudden  accession  of  pain. 

When  Bill's  mind  cleared  again,  he 
spoke  of  what  he  had  intended  to  be  when 
he  grew  to  be  a  man.  He  would  have  all 
the  poor  boys  work  for  him,  and  he  would 
give  them  warm  shoes,  and  overcoats,  and 
plenty  to  eat.  He  would  have  a  place  in 
the  country  with  horses  and  dogs,  and 
allow  the  boys  to  roam  over  the  fields, 
and  pick  as  many  flowers  as  they  wished. 

"  You  are  not  having  a  good  chance, 
Richard,"  said  the  sick  boy,   "  and  I   felt 


The  Electrical  Boy.  91 

that  I  could  give  you  a  better.  Oh,  dear, 
my  mind  is  full  of  the  way  they  carry  poor 
people  away  in  pine  boxes,  —  stumbling 
down  the  stairs  and  out  into  the  street, 
and  away  no  one  knows  where.  I  wish  I 
could  see  the  pictures  in  the  lighted 
church  and  hear  the  sweet  music,  and 
know  that  I  shall  be  alive  again." 

In  the  depth  of  the  night  Richard  had 
fallen  into  a  heavy  sleep.  He  was  awak- 
ened by  the  touch  of  a  hand  which  was 
stretched  in  the  darkness  to  him.  He 
held  the  hand  to  his  breast  and  went  to 
sleep  again,  overcome  by  fatigue.  He 
dreamed  that  one  of  Bill's  carrier  pigeons 
had  made  a  flight  which  exceeded  all  pre- 
vious records.  It  had  flown  throuofh 
storms  and  blizzards,  and  stopping  only 
a  moment  to  announce  its  coming,  it 
had  mounted  by  successive  spiral  move- 
ments until  it  had  been  lost  in  the  blue 
sky. 


92  Tlie  Electrical  Boy. 

When  the  physician  came  again  he 
folded  Bill's  hands  upon  his  breast.  Rich- 
ard shuddered,  for  he  knew  that  his  friend 
was  dead.  He  had  seen  the  same  look 
upon  the  faces  of  children  who  had  been 
killed  in  the  streets. 

The  grief  of  Richard  for  his  friend  dis- 
turbed even  the  cold  equanimity  of  old 
Smiles,  who  had  made  hasty  preparations 
for  ridding  the  house  of  Bill's  body.  The 
other  boys  looked  sober  and  terrified,  and 
scattered  away  out  of  the  garret  into  the 
busy  glittering  streets  to  forget  in  the 
struggle  of  their  young  lives  the  death  in 
the  garret.  Richard  would  not  leave  the 
form  of  his  friend  until  he  was  rudely 
pushed  aside  by  men  who  had  come  with 
a  pine  box,  in  which  they  placed  Bill. 
Richard  stood  in  a  kind  of  trance,  and 
watched  the  operation.  When  Bill's  curly 
head  was  shut  from  his  sight  he  entreated 
the   men   to   wait   till  afternoon,   until  he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  93 

could  get  some  flowers  to  put  on  the 
coffin.  The  rude  undertakers  looked  at 
each  other  at  this  singular  request,  and 
shook  their  heads  like  automatons.  Such 
a  thino:  had  never  been  heard  of.  The 
cart  was  ready,  and  they  must  be  off. 
Richard  flung  himself  on  the  coffin,  and 
said  they  should  not  take  his  friend  away. 
The  men  tried  force,  and  finally,  moved  by 
pity,  one  of  the  men  told  the  boy  they 
would  leave  the  body  until  three  in  the 
afternoon.  Then  the  boy  fled  past  them 
and  out  into  the  street.  He  made  his 
way  to  the  horse-cars,  taking  the  same 
route  which  Bill  had  chosen  on  the  day  he 
led  the  boys  into  the  country.  The  boy 
did  not  know  that  it  was  autumn,  and  that 
daisies  blossom  only  in  the  spring.  On 
reaching  the  fields,  he  looked  in  vain 
for  the  flowers  he  remembered.  The 
birds,  too,  no  lonoer  sang^.  Richard 
roamed  wildlv  hither  and  thither,  and  was 


94  The  Electrical  Boy. 

forced   to  gather  some   green    leaves   and 
grasses. 

Finally  he  passed  a  garden  where  the 
flowers  hung  in  great  profusion  over  the 
wall.  He  timidly  plucked  a  few.  The  act 
was  perceived  by  a  servant,  who  set  out  to 
capture  the  depredator.  Richard  fled  like 
the  wind.  Why  he  should  run  he  never 
asked  himself.  The  flowers  grew  over 
the  wall,  and  seemed  to  invite  the  passer- 
by to  gather  them.  The  pursuer,  who 
was  a  strong  man-servant,  followed  the 
boy,  determined  to  capture  him.  The  two 
ran  up  the  hill  and  down  the  level 
stretch  toward  the  city.  The  boy  was 
light,  but  night  watching  and  poor  food 
handicapped  him  severely.  The  servant 
felt  sure  of  ultimately  overtaking  the  boy. 
He  was  well  kept  and  in  excellent  con- 
dition, and  the  result  was  only  a  question 
of  time.  How  pitiless  the  whole  world 
seemed  to  the  fleeing  boy.      If  he  should 


The  Electrical  Boy.  95 

meet  a  man  or  a  boy  they  would  join 
in  the  pursuit  of  him.  Do  not  wild 
animals  turn  with  one  accord  upon  the 
unfortunate  one  in  the  flock  ?  Shortly 
before  the  boy  reached  the  devious  streets 
of  the  suburb,  where  he  hoped  to  double 
and  wind  in  and  out,  and  so  throw  his 
pursuer  off  the  track,  a  boy  larger  than 
Richard  rushed  out,  and  succeeded  in 
holdinor  him  until  the  servant-man  came 
up. 

Richard  was  taken  to  a  lock-up,  ac- 
cused of  being  one  of  a  band  which  had 
committed  various  depredations  in  the 
neighborhood.  Richard  protested  his  in- 
nocence, and  told  the  story  of  his  search 
for  flowers.  The  policemen  laughed,  and 
remarked  that  he  had  a  pretty  imagina- 
tion, and  had  gotten  up  a  story  well  calcu- 
lated to  catch  soft  hearts.  Richard  went 
to  each  man  at  the  ofhce  of  the  superin- 
tendent,   and    entreated    to    be    believed. 


g6  The  Electrical  Boy. 

The  quick  thought  came  to  him  that  Bill 
would  be  borne  away,  and  no  one  would 
tell  Richard  where.  In  imagination  he 
saw  the  rude  men  bearing  the  pine  coffin 
down  the  tenement  stairs,  with  that  dull 
stamping  of  heavy  feet  which,  alas !  he 
had  heard  too  often.  As  the  reality  of 
the  situation  came  over  him,  he  thought 
that  his  heart  would  break.  The  strong, 
eager  eyes  lost  their  fire  of  pleading,  and 
began  to  fill  with  tears. 

Richards  story  about  his  dead  friend, 
and  his  endeavor  to  get  some  flowers  to 
put  on  the  coffin,  was  scouted.  It  required 
more  imagination  than  the  average  police- 
man possessed  to  conceive  that  a  street 
Arab  should  have  such  sentiment.  The 
officers  thought  Richard's  story  a  very 
good  joke.  There  was  that  judicious 
touching  of  the  pathetic  memories  in  all 
men's  hearts,  and  the  incongruous  use  of 
them  to  shield  one  from  the  consequences 


The  Elect i'ical  Boy.  97 

of  stealing  watermelons,  that  appealed  to  a 
dry  sense  of  humor.  Richard  heard  his 
story  passed  from  assistant  to  assistant, 
and  heard  himself  referred  to  as  a  "deep 
little  chap." 

Could  the  tears  on  the  swollen  eye- 
lids, and  the  trembling  tender  lips  be 
false  .f*  Could  the  eloquent  words  which 
he  addressed  to  the  officers  in  turn  come 
from  a  lying  heart  t  Well,  the  boy  must 
be  held  till  the  court  sat  on  the  following 
morning.  The  boy  would  have  some  sub- 
stantial food  and  a  bed  to  sleep  in.  But 
the  funeral  and  the  flowers }  Oh,  that 
was  probably  a  made-up  story.  Even  if  it 
were  true,  let  the  funeral  ^o  on  without 
the  flowers,  —  they  were  not  essential. 
What  could  save  that  delicate  sense  of 
sentiment  in  a  street  Arab's  heart  when 
he  saw  it  thus  scouted?  What  could  save 
him  from  becoming  hardened  and  blind  to 
the    most    beautiful    side    of    this    strange 


98  The  Electrical  Boy. 

human  life?  The  treasure  that  the  child 
brought  with  him  into  this  world  of  proba- 
tion was  torn  from  him  and  thrown  upon 
an  ash-heap  and  pronounced  of  no  value. 

Richard's  little  heart  fluttered  tumultu- 
ously  as  he  sat  on  the  bunk  behind  the 
iron  bars  in  the  lock-up.  By  the  exertion 
of  powerful  control  he  restrained  himself 
from  screaming  aloud  and  dashing  himself 
<igainst  those  bars.  When  night  came, 
the  watchman  saw  the  small  boy  sleeping 
with  his  hands  clasped  tightly  together. 
He  could  not  know  that  in  Richard's 
dreams  Bill  Lark's  hand  was  between 
those    little    palms. 

In  the  morning  Richard  was  taken 
before  the  justice,  and  confronted  with 
an  old  gentleman  whose  fruit-garden  had 
been  frequently  despoiled  by  wild  boys. 
The  old  gentleman  was  sure  that  he  had 
caught  a  glimpse  of  Richard  in  his  melon 
patch,  and  he  produced   a    tattered  shoe 


The  Electrical  Boy.  99 

which  he  had  found  in  the  garden  after 
the  boys  had  taken  liight.  The  court  re- 
quested Richard  to  put  on  the  shoe,  and 
then  dissolved  into  laughter,  for  the  boy  s 
little  feet  were  lost  in  the  shoe.  A  lawyer 
who  was  present  told  Richard  to  put  both 
his  feet  into  the  shoe,  and  when  this  was 
successfully  accomplished  the  justice  dis- 
missed the  complaint  against  Richard, 
and  he  was  told  that  he  was  free  to  2:0. 
Richard  set  out  on  a  trot  to  the  city, 
groaning  as  he  hastened.  No  tears  rested 
on  his  eyelids ;  but  the  pathetic  whining 
noise  he  made  seemed  to  help  him.  They 
must  have  carried  Bill  Lark  away.  Why 
should  he  run }  On  and  on  he  went, 
without  stopping  for  cold  reasoning.  He 
reached  old  Smiles's  tenement,  hastened 
up  the  narrow,  dark  staircase,  reached  the 
attic,  and  saw  nothing  but  Bill's  tattered 
hat  resting  on  the  bed.  With  a  wild  cry 
he  fell  prostrate  beside  it. 


lOO  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

GREATMAN    FINDS    NEW    FRIENDS    AND    MEETS 
GREATTHINGS. 

TTENRY  GRESHAM  noticed  the  ab- 
sence  of  the  curly-headed  newsboy 
whose  ability  in  marshalling  other  boys 
and  making  them  do  his  behests  had  at- 
tracted his  attention.  A  generous  impulse 
made  him  jump  up  one  day  from  a  luxuri- 
ous lunch,  with  the  resolve  to  make  in- 
quiries about  the  boy.  He  was  diverted 
from  his  plan,  however,  by  an  invitation 
to  the  races.  After  a  day  spent  in  a  bril- 
liant company,  with  his  horse  the  favorite, 
and  a  seat  beside  the  celebrated  beauty  of 
the  season,  he  returned  to  the  city  on 
the  top  of  a  drag,  the  nearest  approach  to 
flying  which  our  incomplete  knowledge  of 


The  Electrical  Boy.  ■    loi 

electricity  at  present  permitted  him.  The 
sight  of  a  little  shivering  boy  selling  news- 
papers  suddenly  attracted  his  attention,  as 
the  drag  neared  the  club.  Wlien  the  gay 
company  had  separated,  he  set  out  in 
earnest  to  learn  something  of  Bill  Lark. 
Scout  the  idea  as  we  may  at  times,  most 
of  us  believe  in  a  guardian  angel,  whose 
gentle  touch  awakens  something  noble  and 
godlike  within  us.  Just  at  the  turning  of 
the  ways  it  often  meets  us ;  and  when  we 
take  the  wrong  path,  the  memory  of  its 
sorrowful  eyes  is  like  that  of  the  mother's 
face  at  the  window. 

Gresham  invoked  the  aid  of  a  police- 
man, and  following  the  bits  of  information 
which  he  obtained,  finally  reached  old 
Smiles's  alley.  Two  men  bearing  a 
burden  came  down  the  narrow  staircase. 
Gresham  and  the  policeman  stood  close  to 
the  wall  to  let  them  pass.  They  bore  a 
small  pine  coffin. 


I02  The  Electrical  Boy. 

After  the  death  of  his  friend,  Richard 
lost  heart  for  a  time.  He  seemed  to  be 
as  one  in  a  dream.  The  other  boys, 
unrestrained  by  the  dominating  power  of 
Bill  Lark,  ran  wild.  Some  disappeared 
forever  from  old  Smiles's  tenement.  Some 
had  been  convicted  of  stealing,  and  had 
been  sentenced  to  houses  of  reform,  and 
others  had  been  sent  to  the  great  West  by 
benevolent  societies  in  the  hope  of  re- 
claiming them,  by  placing  them  in  new 
associations  far  from  the  temptations  of  a 
great  city.  The  boys  that  remained  tried 
to  induce  Richard  to  join  in  their  amuse- 
ments, but  with  little  success.  He  seemed 
to  them  strangely  wanting  in  spirit.  They 
were  quickly  undeceived,  however,  when 
they  undertook  to  interfere  with  the 
carrier  pigeons  which  Bill  Lark  had  com- 
mitted to  the  young  boy's  care. 

One  boy  boldly  proclaimed  that  he  in- 
tended to  carry  one  of  the  pigeons  away 


The  Electrical  Boy.  103 

and  sell  It.  He  proceeded  to  the  dove- 
cot, and  was  about  to  seize  the  bird,  when 
Richard  stepped  in  front  of  him,  and  took 
hold  of  the  hands  that  held  the  pigeon. 

"  That  is  my  bird,"  said  he,  with  a  face 
quivering  with  feeling.  "  Bill  Lark  told 
me,  before  he  died,  to  take  care  of  them. 
He  grave  them  to  me." 

The  boy  said  that  he  did  n't  care  for 
Bill  Lark  living  or  dead.  The  bird  should 
be  his,  and  it  would  be  worse  for  Richard 
if  he  did  not  release  his  hold.  There- 
upon Richard  knocked  the  boy  down, 
and  the  pigeon  fluttered  around  the  attic 
room. 

The  other  boys  immediately  formed  a 
ring  about  Richard  and  the  boy  who  had 
attempted  to  take  possession  of  the  pigeon. 
This  fellow  arose,  doubled  up  his  fists,  and 
rushed  at  Richard  with  great  impetuosity. 
He  was  much  larger  than  the  latter,  and 
there  did  n't  seem  to  be  much    hope  for 


I04  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the  little  fellow.  The  dove  fluttered 
around  the  heads  of  the  fighters  as  if 
ready  to  perch  upon  the  shoulder  of  the 
victor.  Richard's  pent-up  nature  seemed 
suddenly  to  burst  forth  in  a  vehemence 
which  made  his  attack  upon  his  assailant 
irresistible.  He  drove  him  back  into  the 
ring,  and  showed  such  a  savage  rage  that 
the  boys,  who  had  begun  to  laugh  and 
jeer,  suddenly  turned  and  fled  from  the 
attack.  Old  Smiles,  hearing  the  uproar, 
appeared  upon  the  scene  with  a  broom- 
handle.  He  saw  a  little  figure  with  a  torn 
shirt-firont  standing  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  with  hands  clenched  and  the  marks 
of  blood  upon  his  lips. 

"  If  they  touch  my  pigeons  again,"  said 
Richard,  hoarsely,  "  I  shall  treat  them  as 
Bill  did  the  bull-dog." 

Old  Smiles  threatened  and  stormed,  and 
would  have  no  disturbances.  He  would 
let  them  know  that.     He  believed  that  he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  105 

would  take  the  pigeons  himself.  This  re- 
mark suddenly  made  Richard  form  a  new 
resolve.  He  would  earn  more  money,  and 
seek  another  abode,  taking  the  pigeons 
with  him.  For  the  present,  at  least,  he 
was  master.  The  bo3^s  did  not  dare  to 
provoke  another  exhibition  of  temper  such 
as  had   been  displayed. 

Richard  Greatman's  name  was  a  source 
of  ereat  mortification  to  him,  for  he  ^vas 
a  very  small  boy  for  his  age,  and  the 
telegraph  boys  in  the  of^ce  made  no  end 
of  fun  of  it.  If  one  wished  a  telegram 
carried  swiftly,  however,  Richard  was  al- 
ways selected.  He  flew  like  an  arrow. 
They  called  him  at  the  office  the  electrical 
boy.  This  quickness  of  bodily  action  was 
accompanied  by  keen  mental  activity. 
While  the  other  boys  were  sitting  about, 
waiting  for  telegrams,  chaffing  each  other, 
or  matching  coppers,  Richard's  ears  were 
trying    to    interpret    the    clicking   of  the 


io6  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Morse  sounder  under  the  quick  fingers  of 
the  operator.  He  heard  the  clerk  repeat 
the  message  to  the  one  handing  it  to  him, 
to  make  sure  that  it  was  properly  under- 
stood, and  then  Richard  listened  as  it  was 
sent.  The  operator  saw  the  great  glisten- 
ing eyes  of  the  small  boy  fixed  upon  him, 
and  discovered  that  Richard  could  tele- 
graph nearly  as  quickly  as  himself.  The 
quickness  of  Richard  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  Henry  Gresham,  who  came  to  the 
telegraph  office  frequently,  and  he  asked 
the  clerk  why  Richard  was  not  given  some 
higher  position.  The  clerk  replied  that 
the  Greatman  was  still  a  small  boy. 

Henry  Gresham  did  not  laugh,  as  the 
clerk  evidently  expected,  and  thereby 
gained  Richard's  heart  immediately.  A 
present  he  made  Richard  of  a  five-dollar 
bill  completed  the  conquest  of  the  small 
boy.  Richard  watched  the  fine  manly 
figure    of    Gresham    mount    his    dogcart 


The  Electrical  Boy.  107 

and  take  the  reins  of  his  spirited  horse 
from  his  footman  with  intense  pride,  for 
the  other  telegraph  boys  pointed  Gresham 
out  as  Greatman  s  friend. 

Greatman  had  another  friend,  —  Mr. 
Augustus  Swamm,  who  had  made  frequent 
inquiries  for  him  when  Bill  Lark  was 
sick.  He  wore  a  large  diamond  stud  in 
his  shirt  bosom,  and  had  very  easy  and 
affable  manners.  He  too  seemed  to  be  a 
rich  man,  and  asked  the  clerk  to  show 
Richard  about  the  batteries  and  the  wires 
in  the  office  and  to  explain  it  all  to  him. 
This  the  clerk  did,  for  Mr.  Augustus 
Swamm  gave  him  a  sum  of  money,  say- 
ing that  he  was  a  friend  of  the  boy  and 
desired  to  help  him.  Richard  felt  grate- 
ful to  Mr.  Swamm,  and  regarded  him  with 
much  respect,  for  every  one  said  he  was 
an  influential  man.  He  was  not  Henry 
Gresham,  however.  Most  boys  have  their 
idols.    Gresham  typified  all  that  was  great 


io8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  noble  to  the  little  stunted  and  starved 
boy. 

When  Greatman  crawled  into  his  bunk 
in  old  Smiles's  house,  he  dreamed  of  Gres- 
ham's  smiling  nod ;  and  he  seemed  to  hear 
his  hearty,  manly  voice,  saying,  *'  You  did 
well,  Dick" — Dick  and  not  Greatman! 
These  dreams  were  only  interrupted  by  a 
rough  poke  from  old  Smiles,  in  the  raw 
mornings,  who  bade  him  turn  out  and  be 
off  to  the  office.  Alas !  at  this  rate  it 
would  not  take  long  to  educate  Richard's 
heart  to  callousness. 

There  were  wet  and  dismal  days  when 
many  telegraphic  messages  were  to  be 
carried,  regardless  of  the  pelting  showers 
which  wet  the  boy  to  the  skin.  Drying 
one's  back  against  a  steam  radiator  in  a 
room  crowded  with  smoking  men  who  are 
too  busy  to  notice  a  miserable,  draggling 
mite  of  a  boy,  is  a  poor  substitute  for  a 


The  Electrical  Boy.  109 

cheerful  wood  fire,  a  dry  suit  of  clothes, 
a  mother's  and  sister's  kind  words  and 
presence,  and  a  story  book.  Richard  felt 
the  need  of  something  besides  dry  clothes. 
He  tried  cigarettes ;  but  they  made  him 
sick,  and  did  n't  alleviate  the  want  in  his 
heart.  He  stole  off  to  the  theatre  with 
other  boys,  and  forgot  himself  in  the  pic- 
tures presented  on  the  stage.  He  listened 
in  a  sort  of  daze  when  a  mother's  love  was 
mentioned.  All  references  of  this  sort 
merely  gave  his  heart  a  troubled  feeling 
which  he  did  not  stop  to  analyze.  When, 
however,  a  rich,  manly  young  fellow  who 
even  remotely  resembled  Henry  Gresham 
appeared  behind  the  footlights,  then  Rich- 
ard's heart  beat  fast. 

It  was  strange  that  the  careless,  pleasure- 
loving,  rich  fellow  should  have  gained  such 
a  hold  upon  the  boy's  heart,  for  he  did  not 
interest  himself  in  Richard  so  much  as 
Mr.   Augustus   Swamm  did.      The  latter 


no  The  Electrical  Boy. 

asked  the  boy  particularly  about  his  home, 
about  his  pay,  and  about  his  prospects. 

"  You  don't  seem  to  have  any  home,  you 
have  precious  little  pay,  and  absolutely  no 
prospects,"  said  Swamm,  after  one  of  these 
conversations. 

Richard  went  to  the  place  he  called 
home  one  evening  earlier  than  usual,  and 
thought  he  saw  Mr.  Swamm's  back  disap- 
pearing rapidly  down  the  alleyway.  It 
must  have  been  some  one  else,  for  old 
Smiles  did  not  mention  that  Mr.  Augustus 
Swamm  had  called  on  him. 

It  mio^ht  have  been  a  week  after  Rich- 
ard  thought  he  caught  a  glimpse  of 
Swamm  in  Smiles's  alley,  when  that 
gentleman,  after  receiving  a  telegram 
which  Richard  brought  him,  told  Rich- 
ard to  be  seated  in  his  office,  and  asked 
him  if  he  would  not  like  to  enter  his  em- 
ploy at  twice  the  pay  he  was  receiving  as 
messenger  boy. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  in 

"  You  will  be  obliged  to  leave  your 
present  lodgings  and  the  delightful  com- 
pany of  Mr.  Smiles,"  said  Mr.  Swamm, 
with  a  genial  look.  "  We  can  give  you  a 
clean  room  instead  of  your  cabin  bunk, 
and  we  can  promise  you  the  best  of  food. 
You  will  not  have  to  go  out  in  the  rain, 
for  the  work  will  be  mostly  in-doors.  It 
will  be  with  electrical  instruments,  and 
will  be  interestinor." 

Richard  thought  he  would  like  to  en- 
gage with  r^Ir.  Swamm,  for  he  had  always 
been  interested  in  electricity.  He  be- 
thought himself,  however,  of  his  carrier 
pigeons. 

Swamm  listened  to  the  boy's  account  of 
his  pigeons  with  an  air  of  great  interest, 
which  made  Richard's  heart  warm  to  him 
immediately. 

"We  can  have  the  pigeons  put  in  old 
George's  quarters,"  said  Swamm.  "  I  '11 
make    it   all    right   with    your   friend    the 


112  The  Electrical  Boy. 

engineer.  It  will  do  the  birds  good  to 
have  a  complete  rest  for  a  fortnight. 
Birds,  you  know,  can  have  nervous  pros- 
tration as  well  as  people.  It  does  n't  do 
to  fly  'em  all  the  time.  Just  think  how 
hard  you  have  treated  those  pigeons ; 
they  have  n't  had  time  to  get  acquainted 
with  their  families.  I  believe  your  friend 
the  engineer  wishes  to  make  the  pigeons' 
life  just  like  his  own,  —  he  is  always  on 
the  road  too.  I  don't  believe  he  could 
pick  his  boys  out  of  a  crowd  in  the  street. 
You  want  your  pigeons  to  have  a  heart, 
and  to  be  jolly  pigeons,  don't  you }  " 

Richard  thought  it  would  be  desirable. 

"  My  man  George  will  teach  you  in  a 
day  more  than  you  would  learn  in  a 
month  in  a  telegraph  office,"  said  Swamm. 
"  Come  with  me  now  and  I  '11  introduce 
you  to  him,  and  he  will  show  you  some  of 
his  wonderful  contrivances." 

Richard  followed  Mr.  Swamm  through 


The  Electrical  Boy.  1 1 3 

a  number  of  passages,  up  and  down  stairs, 
through  magnificently  furnished  rooms, 
and  then  into  a  curious  workshop  filled 
with  wires  and  batteries.  Their  coming 
had  been  heralded  by  an  electrical  bell  in 
some  mysterious  manner,  for  George,  a 
curious  looking,  unkempt  old  man,  with  a 
pair  of  spectacles,  did  not  seem  surprised 
at  their  advent. 

"  George,  here  is  the  young  man  I  spoke 
of,"  said  Mr.  Augustus  Swamm,  "  who  has 
come  to  learn  all  about  electricity." 

The  old  man  looked  at  the  diminutive 
specimen  before  him. 

"  Pretty  small  battery,"  said  he,  with  a 
grunt.    "  Big  electro-motive  force,  I  s'pose." 

"  Now  there  's  nothing  to  prevent  you 
two  going  to  work  together,"  said  Swamm. 
"  I  will  see  the  telegraph  people,  Richard, 
and  make  all  the  arrangements.  You  and 
George  can  go  to  work  immediately." 

George  gave  Richard  a  battery  to  set  up, 


114  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  Mr.  Augustus  Swamm,  after  a  private 
conversation  with  George,  disappeared. 

"  Your  name  is  Greatman,  I  hear,"  said 
George,  after  a  period  of  silence. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Richard,  with  a  feeling 
of  repulsion  for  the  grisly  old  fellow 
with  the  strange  weird  eyes  which  peered 
from  behind  the  spectacles.  "  Greatman 
and  Greatthings  —  curious,  isn't  it?  My 
name  is  Greatthings,  George  Greatthings. 
Thrown  on  the  great  world  without  a 
father  or  mother,  —  a  sort  of  foot-ball  for 
men  like  Swamm." 

The  old  man  spoke  with  bitterness ; 
there  was  something  in  the  tones  of  his 
voice  which  made  Richard  touch  the 
hand  which  was  arranging  the  wire  to  a 
battery. 

Richard  suddenly  recognized  in  Great- 
things  the  old  man  who  had  given  him 
shelter  and  had  taught  him  all  that  he 
knew    of    electricity.        The     man's     un- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  1 1 5 

kempt  beard  had  completely  disguised  him 
until  now.  Greatthings  did  not  seem 
pleased  to  be  recognized,  and  he  answered 
the  small  boy's  enthusiastic  inquiries  about 
his  flying-machine  with  atone  of  bitterness 
born  of  unsuccess.  He  shook  off  the 
little  hand  that  touched  his  ;  but  his  voice 
seemed  to  grow  softer  as  he  directed 
Richard  in  his  work. 

When  evening  came,  Swamm  appeared, 
and  said  that  he  had  seen  old  Smiles  and 
had  arranged  that  Richard  should  sleep 
and  take  his  meals  in  the  house  where  he 
now  was.  The  experiments  he  was  en- 
gaged upon  were  very  important,  and  he 
wished  to  keep  them  secret  until  they 
were  perfected.  The  great  space  on  the 
roof  of  the  house  would  afford  a  good 
place  for  breathing  the  fresh  air  and  ob- 
tainins:  exercise.  In  two  weeks'  time  there 
would  be  no  necessity  for  concealment,  for 
the  invention  would  then  probably  be 
perfected. 


1 1 6  The  Electrical  Boy, 

"  I  don't  doubt  your  honor,  Richard," 
said  Swamm ;  "  but  awkward  questions 
might  be  asked  you,  and  I  should  prefer 
that  you  should  remain  away  from  people 
for  a  little  while." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  117 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

"  WALK    INTO    MY    PARLOR,"    SAID    THE    ELEC- 
TRICAL   SPIDER    TO    THE    FLY. 

QO  Richard  was  a  prisoner,  all  uncon- 
scious  to  himself.  Swamm  had  sent 
for  the  carrier  pigeons,  and  a  dove-cot  was 
built  for  them  on  a  far  ampler  pattern  than 
the  old  one,  and  the  birds  apparently  en- 
joyed their  vacation.  Richard  as  he 
worked  could  hear  them  cooing  with  an 
air  of  great  enjoyment.  There  was  a 
strange  similarity  in  the  lot  of  the  birds 
and  Richard's.  Both  had  been  trans- 
ported from  a  life  of  carrying  messages 
with  swiftness  to  a  life  of  circumscribed 
limits.  The  birds  were  confined,  however, 
to  a  dove-cot,  with  simple  and  innocent 
companions;   Richard    was    in    a   mysteri- 


1 1 8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

ous  workshop,  with  curious  engines  about 
him.  He  was  so  much  interested,  how- 
ever, in  all  the  electrical  devices  in  the 
laboratory  in  which  he  found  himself  that 
he  did   not  miss  his  freedom. 

The  first  work  that  was  given  him  was 
to  assist  George  in  running  two  wires, 
which  were  carefully  covered  with  gutta- 
percha to  insulate  them,  from  the  labora- 
tory down  into  the  splendid  room  below  it. 
These  wires  were  led  under  the  flooring, 
and  they  came  up  beneath  a  beautiful  table 
in  the  centre  of  this  room,  where  the  ends 
of  the  wire,  which  terminated  in  sharp 
points,  were  carefully  concealed. 

George,  after  placing  the  points,  sat 
down  in  one  of  the  richly-carved  chairs, 
placed  his  leg  against  the  points,  and 
rested  his  elbows  on  the  table,  apparently 
in  deep  thought. 

"  If  a  stroke  of  lightning  would  only 
take  it  into  its  head  to  come  this  way,"  he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  119 

grumbled    to    himself;    "  but    I    s'pose    it 
won  t. 

After  the  wires  were  placed,  George  ar- 
ranged a  battery,  connecting  the  zinc  pole 
to  one  of  the  wires  and  the  carbon  pole  to 
the  other,  and  asked  Richard  to  break  and 
make  the  electrical  circuit  while  he  put 
a  telegraph  sounder  between  the  points 
under  the  table.  Richard  could  hear  the 
taps  of  the  sounder  responding  to  the 
signals  made  by  his  key.  The  line  there- 
fore was  all  ri^ht. 

*'  Swamm  don't  want  the  noise  of  the 
sounder,"  said  George,  returning  to  the 
laboratory ;  "  and  so  we  must  arrange  a 
shocker  instead  of  it." 

The  shocker,  as  George  termed  it,  con- 
sisted of  a  coil  of  very  fine  wire,  the  ends 
of  which  were  connected  with  the  line 
they  had  led  to  the  room  below.  In  the 
centre  of  this  coil  of  fine  wire  was  inserted 
a  coil  of  thicker  wire,  the  ends  of  which 


I20 


The  Electrical  Boy. 


were  led  to  a  battery  consisting  of  a 
zinc  rod  and  a  carbon  rod,  immersed  in 
a  dark  yellow  liquid,  which  George  called 
bi-chromate.  George  placed  a  bundle  of 
small  iron  rods  in  the  centre  of  the  coil  of 
thicker  wire,  and  arranged  one  end  of  this 


coil  so  that  it  could  be  touched  to  the  zinc 
rod  of  the  battery  or  removed  from  it.  He 
then  bade  Richard  to  make  and  break  the 
circuit,  or  to  touch  the  zinc  rod  and  re- 
move the  wire  as  if  he  were  telegraphing, 
George  then  went  into  the  room  below, 
and  pressed  his  knee  against  the  sharp 
points  of  the  wire  beneath  the  table.  On 
his  return  he   told   Richard  to  go  below 


The  Electrical  Boy.  121 

and  try  the  same  experiment.  On  doing 
so  Richard  felt  a  shght  shock  in  his  knee, 
and  he  soon  perceived  that  George  was 
telegraphing  to  him.  The  shocks  took 
the  place  of  the  taps  of  the  Morse  sounder, 
with  which  his  experience  in  the  telegraph 
office  had  made  him  so  familiar. 

"  Do  you  feel  me }  "  telegraphed  George. 
"  Is  it  all  riorht }  " 

Richard  ran  back  to  the  room  over- 
head, and  replied  in  person  to  these 
interrosratories. 

O 

While  they  were  trying  these  experi- 
ments one  evening,  Swamm  entered, 
accompanied  by  a  friend.  Both  men  ex- 
amined the  arrangement  of  wires  and  the 
apparatus  with  searching  eyes.  Swamm 
lighted  the  chandelier  in  the  room  below, 
and  took  a  seat  with  his  knees  pressing 
against  the  sharp  points,  and  got  Richard 
to  telegraph  to  him.  He  then  returned  to 
the  laboratory,  and   rolled   a   table  which 


122  The  Electrical  Boy. 

stood  in  the  centre  of  the  laboratory  away 
from  its  position,  disclosing  an  opening, 
through  which  a  view  could  be  obtained  of 
the  room  below.  The  heavy  ornamenta- 
tion of  the  base  of  the  chandelier,  consist- 
ing of  a  magnificent  design  in  acanthus 
leaves,  concealed  this  opening  from  view 
below.  From  the  laboratory  one  looked 
through  the  leaves  and  saw  the  shining 
rosewood  table  beneath.  Swamm  di- 
rected Richard  to  recline  upon  the  floor, 
and  to  telegraph  to  him,  as  he  took  his 
seat  with  his  knees  resting  against  the 
sharp  points  beneath  the  rosewood  table, 
what  his  friend,  who  sat  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  table,  held  in  his  hand.  Rich- 
ard did  as  he  was  directed,  and  telegraphed 
as  follows :  — 

"  He   holds  cards.     He  has  the  ace  of 
diamonds  and  the  king  of  spades." 

Richard  heard  a  triumphant  laugh  from 
Swamm   in    the   room   below  as  the   man 


The  Electrical  Boy.  123 

opposite  him  threw  down  the  ace  of  dia- 
monds and  the  king  of  spades. 

Richard  thought  he  heard  George,  who 
was  cleaning  some  batteries,  mutter,  "  The 
devils ;  "  but  on  turning  quickly,  saw  merely 
the  patient  bent  back  of  the  old  man  as  he 
examined  the  work  before  him. 

Swamm  returned  to  the  laboratory,  and 
told  Richard  that  he  was  2:oinor  to  have 
some  friends  come  in  the  evening  to  play 
cards ;  and  he  proposed  to  amuse  himself 
with  them,  and  wished  Richard  to  tele- 
graph him  what  cards  they  held. 

"  It 's  going  to  be  a  very  good  joke,"  he 
said.  "  George,  you  see  that  everything  is 
right.  Richard,  here  's  a  gold  dollar. 
You  are  getting  on  splendidly.'* 

Richard  took  the  money,  and  the  men 
departed. 

"  Won't  you  take  half  of  it,"  said  he  to 
George,  somewhat  timidly,  for  the  latter 
appeared  to  be  in  great  mental  agitation. 


124  ^/^"^  Electrical  Boy. 

George  shook  his  head,  and  seemed  to 
avoid  Richard. 

That  evening  there  was  a  party  of  gen- 
tlemen in  the  great  room  below.  Richard 
at  a  given  signal  took  his  place  and  tele- 
graphed the  names  of  the  cards  which 
were  held  by  the  player  opposite  Swamm. 
The  party  seemed  hilarious  and  good- 
natured  ;  and  after  the  game,  Richard 
heard  Swamm  invite  the  company  to  a 
supper  in  an  adjoining  room. 

On  the  whole,  it  was  a  pleasant  sight 
to  see  the  well  dressed  men  with  their 
easy  manners,  and  to  hear  their  sallies 
of  wit;  and  it  was  interesting  to  see  how 
quickly  the  names  of  the  cards  could  be 
telegraphed  to  Swamm.  If  it  was  a  joke, 
it  seemed  to  be  continued  from  evening  to 
evening.  Richard  consulted  George  in 
regard  to  the  curious  performance,  but 
could  get  no  information  from  him. 

Swamm   and   George  had,  however,  an 


The  Electrical  Boy.  125 

animated  conversation  together  in  regard 
to  Richard. 

"  I  am  an  old  fellow,"  said  Greatthings  to 
Swamm,  "  and  no  more  harm  can  come  to 
me.  The  world  has  done  its  worst  to  me, 
and  I  have  n't  been  any  use  to  the  world ; 
but  this  little  chap  has  lots  of  stuff  in  him, 
and  ought  to  be  brought  up  among  honest 
folk." 

"Don't  you  call  yourself  honest,  George, 
hey.^"  replied  Swamm,  with  a  sneer. 

"  I  have  not  been,"  said  the  old  man, 
with  a  groan,  "  and  you  can  hold  it  over 
me,  I  s'pose,  till  I  am  under  ground.' 
You  've  got  me  in  your  power." 

"  I  reckon  I  have,  George,"  said  Swamm  ; 
"  but  I  'm  your  best  friend,  after  all." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head,  held  up 
his  wrinkled  hand,  and  gazed  at  it  as  if  he 
wished  to  hold  all  his  past  in  it  and  throw 
it  from   him. 

One  evening  the  play  below  was  going 


126  The  Electrical  Boy. 

on  as  usual,  when  Richard,  with  a  start, 
recognized  Henry  Gresham  among  the 
gentlemen.  Old  George  inquired  the 
reason    of   the    boy's   exclamation. 

"  One  of  your  friends,  hey  ?  That 's 
bad." 

"  Why  is  it  bad .? "  asked  Richard, 
impulsively. 

"  Did  I  say  bad  ?  "  replied  the  old  man, 
wrinoinsf  his  hands. 

"  You  did,"  said  Richard. 

"  Then  I  repeat  it.  If  you  telegraph 
the  numbers  of  the  cards  your  friend  holds 
he  is  a  lost  man.  Swamm  will  bleed  him 
of  his  last  cent.  Boy,  don't  you  see  that 
'hey  are  gamblers.'^  "  The  old  man  hissed 
this  into  Richard's  ear. 

"  What  shall  I  do  }  "  exclaimed  Richard, 
hearino:  the  siijnal  for  him  to  take  his 
place,  and  perceiving  Henry  Gresham 
opposite  Swamm,  both  fingering  their 
cards. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  127 

"  We  are  slaves,"  replied  Greatthings, 

"  I  am  not !  "  exclaimed  Richard,  rising, 
and  rushing  to  the  door. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  said 
Greatthings,  hurrying  to  the  door  and 
barring  the  way. 

"  I  am  going  to  warn  my  friend,"  re- 
plied Richard,  struggling  with  the  old 
man. 

"  If  you  do,  I  am  lost,"  cried  Great- 
things;  "I  have  no  way  to  earn  a  living 
except  through  Swamm.  If  I  expose  him, 
he  can  send  me  to  prison.  Your  friend  is 
a  rich  young  fellow;  he  can  afford  to 
lose. 

"  I  am  truly  sorry  to  injure  you,  George  ; 
but  I  must  help  my  friend,"  replied  Rich- 
ard, striving  to  open  the  door,  as  he  heard 
Swamms  signal  sound  again. 

All  at  once  a  great  commotion  was 
heard  below.  Richard  rushed  back  to  his 
seat,  and  gazed  through  the  peep-hole. 


128  The  Electrical  Boy. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  said  Greatthings,  doubly 
locking  the  door,  and  coming  to  Richard  s 
side. 

"  The  room  is  full  of  policemen,"  replied 
Richard. 

Quick  as  a  flash  the  old  man  took  the 
electric-lisfht  wires  which  led  to  an  arc 
lamp  in  the  laboratory,  and  connected 
them  again  to  the  wire  which  led  around 
the  room.  This  thick  wure  had  been  cut 
at  several  places  and  connected  afterward 
by  pieces  of  fine  iron  wire,  and  the  latter 
placed  in  inflammable  material.  In  an 
instant  the  room  was  in  a  blaze  of  fire. 
Greatthings  caught  Richard  by  the  arm, 
and  dragged  him  to  a  fire-escape. 

"  The  time  has  come  to  conceal  our 
shop.     Mind  that  you  say  nothing." 

Richard,  half  blinded  by  the  volume  of 
smoke  which  rolled  through  the  room, 
quickly  followed  the  old  man  to  the 
window.     Greatthings  preceded  him  down 


The  Electrical  Boy.  129 

the  ladder.  Stifling  clouds  of  smoke 
issued  from  the  window  of  the  magnifi- 
cent room  in  which  the  gamblers  had 
been  playing. 

"I  must  help  Henry  Gresham ! "  ex- 
claimed Richard,  pausing  irresolutely  on 
the  ladder. 

"  I  am  blinded  ! "  exclaimed  the  old  man, 
as  he  clambered  down  the  fire-escape  past 
a  window  from  which  the  flames  were 
leaping. 

Richard  steadied  the  swaying  form  of 
the  man,  and  moved  his  hands  to  succes- 
sive rounds  of  the  ladder.  When  they 
reached  the  end  of  the  fire-escape  both 
dropped  to  the  ground. 

"  Don't  leave  me,"  groaned  the  old 
man,  pressing  his  hands  to  his  face. 

Richard    heard    the     firemen    running 

down    the    alleyway    behind  the   building, 

and  he   dragged   Greatthings  into  a  dark 

corner,  for   the    thought    flashed    through 

9 


130  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the  mind  of  the  boy  that  they  both  might 
be  suspected  of  being  the  cause  of  the 
fire.  He  remembered  the  old  man's  fear 
of  being  pursued  for  something  which  he 
had  done  in  the  past,  —  perhaps  it  was 
stealing  the  electricity  in  those  days  when 
the  old  man  had  given  Richard  the  first 
comfortable  home  he  had  ever  known. 

"  I  will  not  leave  you,"  exclaimed  Rich- 
ard, pressing  the  man's  hand.  "  Come  this 
way;  we  must  not  meet  the  firemen  and 
the  policemen." 

Thus  saying,  he  led  his  friend  down 
a  deep  archway,  and  hurried  along  in 
the  shadow,  avoiding  the  observation  of 
the  inrushing  crowd.  Once  out  into  the 
broad  street  the  two  were  merged  in  the 
mass  of  humanity  that  was  rushing  to 
the    conflagration. 

What  the  two  were  to  do  Richard 
could  not  tell.  He  knew  how  hard  the 
struorale  for  food  and  lod^in^  was,  and  the 


The  Elecii'-ical  Boy.  131 

blinded  old  man  could  not  help  in  this 
struGfo'le. 

"  Do  you  know  where  to  go,  boy?  "  said 
George,  groaning  as  he  spoke. 

"  No,"  replied  Richard,  with  a  tremor  in 
his  voice,  which  he  did  his  best  to  repress. 

The  old  man  stood  irresolute,  as  if  think- 
ing deeply. 

"  I  had  a  friend  who  used  to  work  at 
the  central  light  station,"  at  length  said 
George.  "  I  don't  think  he  would  be 
afraid  of  harboring  me  until  my  eyes  are 
better." 

The  old  man  then  directed  his  com- 
panion by  describing  the  streets  as  they 
hurried  along. 


132  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

GREATTHINGS  FLEES  FROM  HIS  PAST. 

'T^HE  two  were  soon  beyond  the  centre 
of  disturbance  of  the  fire,  and  their 
path  led  away  from  the  more  crowded 
streets  toward  a  portion  of  the  great  city 
devoted  to  manufacturing.  Presently  they 
reached  a  building  which  in  the  darkness 
seemed  to  be  on  fire ;  for  volumes  of 
smoke  issued  from  its  chimneys,  and 
clouds  of  steam  whirled  about  its  doors. 
It  was  not  on  fire,  however ;  the  smoke 
and  the  steam  came  from  the  great  en- 
gines which  were  driving  the  whizzing 
dynamo  electric  machines  of  a  central 
station.  Richard  opened  the  door  and 
led  George  into  a  space  filled  with  revolv- 
ing pulleys  and  great  belts. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  133 

"  Ask  for  Fred  Vintner,"  said  George, 
feeling  his  way. 

Richard  kept  his  companion  from  con- 
tact with  the  machinery,  and  made  in- 
quiries of  a  man  who  came  hurriedly 
forward,  evidently  with  the  intention  of 
turning  out  the  intruders. 

The  workman  looked  at  the  two  for  a 
moment,  and  then  called  out  for  Fred 
Vintner. 

Richard  saw  a  man  somewhat  younger 
than  George  peer  from  behind  a  great 
steam  engine.  It  seemed  to  Richard  that 
the  man's  face  turned  white  as  he  saw 
George.  This  might,  however,  have  been 
the  effect  of  the  flickering  of  a  sreat 
arc  lamp  which  was  suspended  over  the 
nook  where  he  was  seated.  Before  ad- 
vancing, Vintner  despatched  the  fireman, 
who  was  the  person  whom  Richard  had 
addressed,  to  attend  to  the  boilers,  and 
then  advanced  to  the  old  man,  and  asked 


134  ^'^^  Electrical  Boy. 

him  rouglily  why  he  had  come  to  bother 
him  again. 

''  Vintner/'  said  the  old  man,  hoarsely, 
"  God  knows  I  would  never  have  sought 
you  out  again  if  dire  necessity  had  not 
compelled  me.  I  want  you  to  help  me 
to-nioht.  You  will  never  resfret  it.  I 
have  met  with  an  accident,  and  fear  I  am 
blinded.  This  bo}^  has  led  me  to  you,  and 
I  want  you  to  give  us  a  night's  lodgings, 
and  get  a  doctor  to  look  at  my  eyes, 
which  are  fearfully  burned." 

Vintner's  hands  worked  convulsively 
upon  the  iron  rods  which  guarded  the 
space  about  the  great  panting  engine. 

"  If  you  are  found  here  I  shall  be  ar- 
rested with  you,"  he  whispered  hoarsely. 

"  You  can  stow  us  away  somewhere," 
replied  the  old  man.  "  Give  us  something 
to  eat,  and  get  a  bandage  for  my  eyes. 
We  shall  be  off  in  the  morning  —  where 
to,  God  only  knows  ;  but   I  promise  you  I 


The  Electrical  Boy.  135 

will  leave  you  in  the  morning  if  you  help 
us  to-night." 

Vintner  hurried  his  visitors  into  a 
closet-like  room  where  he  apparently  slept, 
and  brought  a  cold  bandage  for  the  old 
man's  eyes.  He  told  Richard  to  take  the 
bandage  and  to  apply  the  water,  while  he 
went  to  his  ens:ines.  After  a  time  he 
returned  with  some  food,  and  asked  the 
old  man  a  question  in  regard  to  the  run- 
ning of  the  electrical  machinery,  which 
seemed  to  be  in  strange  disorder. 

George  told  him  that  there  was  a  great 
fire  down  town,  and  the  electric  wires  had 
probably  been  cut. 

Vintner,  hearing  this,  rushed  out  to  his 
engines.  Richard  saw  him  move  various 
switches  and  a  long  row  of  glow  lamps, 
and  the  rafters  of  the  dingy  engine-house 
suddenly  flamed  with  light.  To  Richard's 
earnest  question  George  replied  that  the 
electricity    had    been    diverted    from    the 


136  The  Electrical  Boy. 

down-town  wires  into  the  lamps  at  the 
central  station  for  the  purpose  of  testing 
the  working  of  the  machines. 

The  old  man's  surmise  was  correct,  for 
a  messenger  came  running  to  the  power 
station  to  tell  the  engineer  to  stop  the  dyna- 
mos, for  the  fire  was  spreading,  and  it  had 
been  necessary  to  cut  the  electric  wires. 

Richard  left  George  in  the  closet,  and 
accompanied  Vintner  as  the  latter  rushed 
to  the  eno-ines.  He  saw  the  man  throw 
the  belts  upon  the  loose  pulleys,  and  the 
dynamos  begin  to  lose  their  speed.  Then 
they  came  to  a  standstill ;  and  the  myste- 
rious force  which  they  had  been  trans- 
mitting for  the  lights  of  the  city  died  out. 
The  boy  looked  at  the  revolving  coils  of 
wire,  and  wondered  how  the  motion  of  the 
steam-eno'ine  could  be  chano-ed  into  elec- 
tricity  by  merely  revolving  these  coils  be- 
tween the  great  horseshoe-shaped  pieces  of 
iron  which  were  wrapped  with  wire. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  137 

Vintner  looked  askance  at  the  small 
boy,  and  led  him  out  of  sight  of  George,  by 
pointing  out  a  peculiar  electrical  engine 
which  was  revolving  large  ventilating  fans. 

"  Where  have  you  two  been  ?  "  asked 
the  man. 

Richard  was  on  his  guard,  and  an- 
swered in  a  general  manner  that  they  had 
been  engaged  in  a  shop  on  electrical  in- 
ventions, and  had  been  to  the  fire.  The 
old  man  had  received  a  sheet  of  flame 
in  his  face. 

"  Your  shop  was  burnt  out,  hey } " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Richard,  looking  under 
and  around  the  electrical  contrivance. 
He  pointed  out  to  Vintner  a  defective  ar- 
rangement in  the  wires  of  the  motor. 
The  man  looked  at  the  boy  with  surprise, 
and  immediately  changed  the  wires  ac- 
cording to  the  boy's  suggestion.  He 
again  attempted  to  learn  from  Richard 
more  about  George ;  but  the  boy  became 


138  The  Electrical  Boy. 

uncommunicative,  and  asked  many  ques- 
tions in  return  about  the  electrical  con- 
trivances in  the  power  house.  Vintner 
finally  said,  — 

"  Boy,  I  '11  hire  you  to  work  for  me  ; 
you  seem  to  know  a  good  deal  about  elec- 
tricity. I  '11  teach  you  more.  You  can 
be  right  handy  about  this  place." 

"  Will  you  hire  Mr.  Greatthings,  too  .?  " 
asked  Richard. 

"  No,"  said  the  man.  "  I  want  a  fellow 
of  about  your  size." 

"  I  cannot  leave  Mr.  Greatthings,"  re- 
plied Richard.  "  When  his  eyes  get 
better  and  when  he  does  n't  need  me,  I 
will  come  to  you,  perhaps." 

"  What  are  you  two  going  to  do  }  "  asked 
Vintner,  gazing  with  surprise  at  the  de- 
voted boy. 

Richard  confessed  that  he  did  n't  know. 
He  felt  that  he  must  not  desert  the  old 
man. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  1 39 

Vinter  pushed  his  hat  on  one  side  of 
his  head  and  slowly  strolled  back  to 
George.  He  must  get  rid  of  him  in 
some  way. 

Richard  heard  the  two  men  talk  in  an  ex- 
cited manner  together,  and  as  they  talked, 
a  light  dawned  upon  him.  He  recognized 
in  Vintner  the  man  who  came  to  Great- 
things  s  shop  to  talk  over  the  flying- 
machine  in  the  nights  long  ago  when  he 
lay  in  the  bunk  and  congratulated  himself 
upon  the  cosey  home  he  had  found. 

The  old  man's  face  now  was  savage  in 
its  intensity  ;  while  on  the  face  of  Vintner 
there  was  a  dogged  look,  partly  made  up 
of  fear  and  partly  of  a  determination  to  out- 
wit and  get  rid  of  his  troublesome  visitor. 

"  I  want  my  model  of  my  flying-machine 
which  you  have  had  so  long,"  said  the  old 
man. 

"  Bless  me !  that  has  gone  to  pieces 
months    ago,"    replied    Vintner.       "  The 


140  The  Electrical  Boy. 

thing  would  n't  work  ;  there  was  nothing 
in   it." 

"  I  want  the  model,"  said  George ;  "  you 
have  got  it." 

Vintner  strode  back  and  forth,  looking 
savagely  upon  the  ground. 

"  Give  me  my  model  and  I  will  leave 
you,"  continued  the  old  man,  in  an  excited 
manner,  "  Remember  that  if  I  am  ar- 
rested, you  will  be  too ;  if  I  go  to  jail,  I 
swear  you  must  go  too." 

Vintner  clenched  his  hands  and  glared 
at  the  half-blinded  old  man,  who  was 
peering  at  him  with  blood-shot  eyes. 
The  engineer  presently  walked  away,  and 
after  a  moment  returned  with  the  small 
machine  which  Richard  well  remembered 
to  have  seen  flying  through  the  air  in  the 
shop.  The  vanes  and  the  balloon-attach- 
ment were  not  on  it,  but  the  revolving 
portions  and  the  magnets  were  in  position. 

"  There,"  said  Vintner,  thrusting  the  ma- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  141 

chine  into  the  old  man's  hands  ;  "  take  the 
thing,  and  be  off  with  you." 

*'  Give  me  and  the  boy  some  food  first," 
repHed  George. 

Vintner  grasped  a  stick ;  but  dropped 
it  as  he  looked  at  the  determined  man. 
He  disappeared  again,  and  returned  after 
a  while  with  some  food,  which  he  set  be- 
fore George  and   Richard. 

"  Eat  enough,  boy,"  said  the  old  man, 
pressing  his  hands  upon  his  painful  eye- 
balls. "  I  don't  know  when  or  where  we 
shall  get  some   more." 

"  You  must  get  out  of  this  place  before 
the  inspector  comes  in,"  said  Vintner. 

"  If  this  boy  were  not  with  me,  I  would 
sit  here  and  tell  all  to  30ur  inspector,"  said 
George,  savagely,  "  I  am  about  tired  of 
struggling  with  the  world.  One's  meals 
are  regular  at  least  in  prison,  and  one  is 
looked  after;  but  I  want  to  do  something 
for  this  little  chap  and  save  him  from  the 


142  The  Electrical  Boy, 

streets,  and  start  him,  if  possible,  on  an 
honest  career.  If  I  had  had  a  friend  when 
I  was  of  his  age  I  should  not  be  a  fugi- 
tive in  my  old  age." 

Presently  George  put  his  model  under 
his  arm,  and  Richard  guided  him  through 
the  machinery  of  the  power  house  to  the 
outer  door.  Vintner  accompanied  them 
a  little  distance.  When  the  old  man 
reached  the  door,  he  turned  and  looked 
intently  at  Vintner,  and  lifted  his  finger, 
and  then  disappeared  with  Richard  in  the 
outer  darkness. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  143 


CHAPTER   X. 

ELECTRICITY    IN    A    DIME    MUSEUM. 

'T^HE  old  man  told  Richard  that  he 
had  a  plan  for  finding  employment 
for  both,  which  he  hoped  would  be  suc- 
cessful for  a  time  at  least.  He  knew 
formerly  the  proprietor  of  a  dime  museum 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  who  used 
to  exhibit  various  electrical  manifestations 
and  phenomena.  He  had  once  asked  the 
old  man  to  take  charge  of  his  electrical 
apparatus,  and  there  was  a  possibility  of 
getting  employment  with  him.  Accord- 
ingly the  two  walked  on  and  on  through 
the  dimly  lighted  streets  of  the  poor 
quarter,  Richard  aiding  the  dim  sight  of 
his  companion,  until  they  arrived  at 
Moses'  Dime  Museum. 


144  '^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

When  Richard's  companion  saw  the 
great  painted  signs  and  heard  the  sound 
of  rude  music  within  he  said, — 

"  This  is  the  place.  I  hope  we  shall 
find  a  refuge  ;  for  I  know  what  it  is  to 
wander  without  money  through  the  streets. 
You  know  what  it  is,  boy,  also." 

The  old  man  started  back  as  he  saw  an 
immense  policeman,  with  baton  in  hand, 
standing  near  the  ticket-office. 

Richard  whispered,  "  It  is  a  painted 
man.     It 's  made  of  wax." 

The  old  man  chuckled  a  little  to  him- 
self, and  said,  "  It's  one  of  Moses'  tricks." 

The  great  effigy  of  a  policeman  stared 
into  the  street  with  his  violet-blue  eyes 
and  particularly  ruddy  cheeks,  and  the  two 
fugitives  passed  by  it  to  the  ticket-office, 
where  George  asked  for  the  proprietor. 
It  was  late,  and  the  young  man  who  took 
the  dimes  in  the  box  called  the  ticket- 
office   had    been    napping.       He    yawned 


The  Electrical  Boy.  145 

angrily  at  being  awakened,  and  put  out  his 
hand  for  the  money  of  admission.  When 
he  ascertained  that  the  proprietor  was 
asked  for,  he  was  incHned  to  think  the 
old  man  and  Richard  belonged  to  the 
numerous  class  of  cranks  who  endeavored 
to  gain  admission  without  paying  their 
dimes. 

The  old  man's  manner,  however,  was  so 
decided,  and  his  apparent  knowledge  of 
Mr.  Moses  so  intimate,  that  the  young 
man  concluded  to  take  the  risk  of  ad- 
mitting him  and  the  boy. 

When  Richard  stood  within  and  saw 
the  stuffed  animals ;  a  queen  reclining  on 
a  throne  and  playing  with  a  snake  ;  strange 
black  men  with  crowns  of  feathers  dancing: 
in  a  circle  and  brandishing  spears  and 
bows  and  arrows,  he  held  his  breath  with 
ecstacy.  Could  there  be  a  greater  scene 
of  enchantment  ?  Loud  sounds  of  music 
filled  the  air.  The  place  was  brilliantly 
10 


146  The  Electrical  Boy. 

lighted,  and  groups  of  people  walked 
about,  laughing  and  talking  and  gazing 
at  the  various  shows.  While  Richard  was 
fully  absorbed  opposite  the  monkey  cage, 
the  old  man  was  conversing  with  Mr. 
Moses.  The  latter  had  the  face  of  a  bird, 
and  also  the  habit  of  some  birds  of  looking 
this  way  and  that.  This  gesture  was  made 
more  impressive  by  Mr.  Moses'  habit  of 
bringing  the  tips  of  his  fingers  in  contact 
while  he  gazed. 

The  old  man  talked  earnestly,  and  ex- 
hibited his  model  of  the  flying-machine, 
and  said  that  he  had  several  other  electri- 
cal devices  which  might  serve  to  attract 
people  to  the  museum.  The  boy  with  him 
also  had  a  remarkable  faculty  for  working 
with  electrical  apparatus.  Between  them 
both  they  could  make  a  very  taking  show, 
—  a  flying-machine,  an  electrical  mouse, 
an  electrical  crown,  a  magnetic  doll.  The 
old  man  spoke  earnestly,  trying  to  make  an 


The  Electrical  Boy.  147 

attractive  electrical  exhibition.  Mr.  Moses 
listened  with  an  incredulous  air,  with  up- 
lifted eyebrows.  At  heart,  however,  he  was 
much  interested  in  the  old  man's  scheme. 
A  former  partner  had  seceded  from  the 
Moses  Dime  Museum,  and  had  opened  a 
five-cent  show  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street,  where  the  smallest  man  on  earth 
was  to  be  seen,  together  with  an  electrical 
eel,  and  an  electrical  machine  that  would 
give  a  bolt  of  lightning  three  feet  long, — 
sufficient  to  tear   holes    in    the    strono^est 

O 

plate  of  glass.  Mr.  Moses  was  ver}'  in- 
dignant with  his  unfaithful  partner,  —  un- 
faithful because  he  had  promised  for  a 
compensation  not  to  open  a  dime  mu- 
seum in  the  quarter  of  the  cit}^  preoccu- 
pied by  the  Moses  museum.  The  partner 
had  kept  to  his  agreement.  He  had  not 
opened  a  dime  museum ;  he  had  estab- 
lished a  five-cent  museum,  where  greater 
curiosities  could  be  seen  for  half  price  than 


148  The  Electrical  Boy. 

in  the  Moses  Museum  or  in  any  other 
museum  in  the  world.  Mr.  Moses  at 
first  tried  his  rights  in  the  courts ;  but 
finding  no  redress,  and  perceiving  that  the 
earnings  obtained  by  the  exhibition  of  the 
two-headed  calf  and  his  case  of  snakes 
were  being  absorbed  by  due  processes  of 
law,  abandoned  legal  proceedings,  and  set 
his  wits  to  work  to  collect  greater  attrac- 
tions than  could  be  offered  by  means  of 
the  more  limited  receipts  of  the  five-cent 
museum.  He  had  steadily  increased  his 
show.  The  smallest  man  on  earth  was 
offset  by  a  giant  from  Montana  ;  and  he 
offered  in  business  language  a  greater  line 
of  monkeys  than  could  be  seen  outside  the 
largest  European  zoological  gardens,  not 
excepting  that  at  Amsterdam.  Now  he 
had  the  opportunity  to  offset  the  elec- 
trical eel  and  the  bolt  of  lightning  by 
an  electrical  flying-machine,  an  electrical 
mouse,  and  a  magnetic  doll.     Even  while 


The  Electrical  Boy.  149 

he  talked  with  Greatthings,  he  framed  in 
his  mind  a  startHng  sign,  fully  illustrated, 
which  should  set  forth  these  attractions  to 
enable  the  public  to  obtain  a  just  idea  of 
what  was  within  their  reach.  He  did  not, 
however,  relax  his  doubting  attitude  before 
the  old  man,  and  he  made  a  point  of 
setting  Richard  Greatman  adrift.  The 
boy  did  not  seem  an  essential  part  of  the 
electrical  attractions.  Greatthings,  how- 
ever, was  firm ;  the  boy  was  necessary 
for  the  success  of  the  plan,  and  must  be 
included  in  any  arrangement  he  should 
make. 

Mr.  Moses  finally  concluded  to  take  the 
old  man  and  the  boy  into  his  employment, 
and  the  two  fugitives  were  housed  for  the 
ni<^ht  in  a  loft  of  the  museum.  Georgre 
Greatthings's  eyes  were  cared  for  by  Mr. 
Moses,  who  had  a  certain  number  of  reme- 
dies in  which  he  had  great  faith,  and 
which  he  applied  both  to  his  animals  and 


150  The  Electrical  Boy. 

his  men.  In  truth,  Mr.  Moses  was  some- 
thing of  a  philosopher,  and  always  main- 
tained that  men  and  animals  differed  only 
in  degree,  but  not  in   kind. 

Quarters  having  been  arranged  for  the 
night,  Greatthings  bought  a  paper  and 
scanned  it  eagerly  to  find  an  account  of 
the  fire.  Richard  listened  to  the  account 
with  bated  breath.  He  hoped  that  Mr. 
Gresham  had  escaped  without  injury. 
The  newspaper  stated  that  the  bodies  of 
two  men  had  been  found  in  the  ruins, 
and  were  unidentified.  Greatthings's  face 
had  a  look  of  strange  joy,  which  was 
quickly  followed  by  one  of  uncertainty. 
Richard's  heart  seemed  to  stand  still 
for  a  moment.  What  if  one  of  those 
charred  bodies  should  be  that  of  Henry 
Gresham } 

Early  on  the  morning  following  his  en- 
trance into  the  dime  museum,  Richard  set 
off  for  the  club  where  he  had  often  seen 


The  Electrical  Boy.  151 

Henry  Gresham.  He  entered  the  fine 
building  just  as  if  he  were  carrying  news- 
papers. In  response  to  his  inquiries,  one 
of  the  attendants  told  him  that  Mr.  Gres- 
ham had  been  at  the  club  that  morning. 
Richard  ran  back  to  the  museum  with  a 
light  heart. 

Greatthings  had  moments  of  great  ela- 
tion of  spirits.  If  he  only  knew  that 
Swamm  could  no  longer  follow  him  and 
threaten  him  with  the  past,  the  spirits  of 
youth  would  return. 

Richard  went  to  sleep  that  night  with 
his  mind  full  of  the  strange  curiosities  in 
the  world,  —  wild  black  men  with  crowns 
of  feathers  who  executed  war-dances; 
queens  covered  with  diamonds  who  sat  on 
thrones  of  gold;  a  giant  who  rested  his 
arms  on  men's  heads,  and  who  told  stories 
of  strangling  bears,  just  as  Bill  had 
stranded  the  bull-dog.  While  the  boy 
slept  the  wild  black  men  had  put  on  or- 


152 


The  Electrical  Boy. 


dinary  clothes,  and  were  waiters  in  a 
neighboring  restaurant  ;  the  queen  had  de- 
scended from  her  throne  and  was  sweeping 
out  the  estabhshment  The  only  real 
things  in  the  show  were  the  monkeys  and 
the  giant. 

The  following  days  were  busy  ones,  for 
the  flying-machine  had  to  be  adjusted  and 


the  wires  along  which  its  trolley  moved 
were  to  be  strung  across  the  room.  The 
electrical  mouse  was  quickly  put  in  order; 
a  minute  electrical  motor  was  placed  inside 
a  toy  mouse,  and  fine  wires  ran  to  some 
batteries  which  were  concealed  from  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  153 

audience.  The  magnetic  doll  bowed,  and 
rolled  its  eyes,  and  walked,  and  lifted  an 
eye-glass.  The  mechanism  of  this  wonder- 
ful object  had  been  concealed  in  George 
Greatthings's  coat  pocket;  he  had  spent 
many  hours  of  secret  labor  upon  it,  hoping 
some  day  to  make  a  fortune  from  it.  This 
hope  had  grown  less  and  less,  and  now  it 
might  serve  to  provide  food  for  him  in  his 
old  age. 

In  the  intermissions  of  his  employment 
Richard  made  the  acquaintance  of  the 
giant  from  Montana.  At  first  the  boy  was 
terrified  by  the  enormous  being.  The 
giant's  voice  was  prodigious,  and  he  looked 
very  savage.  The  attendant  who  de- 
scribed the  attractions  of  the  giant  to  the 
visitors  to  the  museum  expatiated  upon 
his  great  strength  and  upon  his  ferocity 
when  provoked.  The  giant  was  appar- 
ently attracted  by  Richard,  and  became 
communicative.     The  boy  soon  discovered 


154  '^^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

that  the  heart  of  the  great  giant  was  as 
gentle  as  a  child's.  There  seemed  to  be  a 
shrinking,  delicate  personality  housed  in 
an  immense  shape. 

"  People  are  afraid  of  me,"  said  the 
giant.  "  If  they  knew  how  fearful  I  am  of 
them  they  would  probably  cease  to  look  at 
me.  It  is  a  strange  lot  to  appear  to  be 
what  one  is  not.  I  roar  and  look  fero- 
cious, and  people  pay  to  see  me.  I  sup- 
pose they  would  despise  me  if  they  knew 
what  I  tell  you, — that  I  have  a  shrinking 
nature  and  a  child's  heart." 

The  giant,  whose  real  name  was  Ferdi- 
nand Leap,  told  the  boy  of  his  mountain 
home,  —  of-  the  free,  wild  life  there  ;  of  the 
beautiful  flowers  in  the  springtime  ;  (jf  the 
exhilarating  air  that  was  so  pure  that 
mountains  forty  miles  away  seemed  within 
an  easy  walk. 

"  I  cannot  stand  being  made  a  show," 
said   the   giant,    with   a   prodigious   siglx 


The  Electrical  Boy.  i55 

M  hate  this  show;  the  close  air;  the 
people  who  stare  at  me.  I  don't  think 
I  shall  stay  much  longer.  Money  is  not 
everything  in  this  world.  There  is  only 
one  man  bigger  than  I  am  in  the  world, 
and  they  say  if  he  should  die  I  could  get 
almost   any    sum   1  wished  for  exhibiting 

myself." 

Mr.  Moses  informed  George  Greatthings 
that  the  giant  was  a  bonanza,  living  or 
dead.  It  was  of  course  better  to  have  him 
alive  ;  but  his  skeleton  even  would  pay  to 

exhibit. 

Richard  pondered  upon  the  giant's  de- 
scriptions of  his  mountain  home  in  the  far 
west,  and  he  longed  to  leave  the  great  city 
and  be  among  those  mountains,  where  the 
flowers  grew  and  the  brooks  sounded 
merrily  over  their  stones.  The  poetic 
nature  of  the  child  was  as  much  disturbed 
as  the  simple  nature  of  the  giant  with  the 
sordid  surroundings  in  the  dime  museum. 


156  The  Electrical  Boy. 

A  few  weeks  of  constant  acquaintance 
with  the  shams  in  the  museum  made  it 
seem  a  place  to  escape  from.  The  boy 
longed  also,  with  that  strange  longing  of 
youth,  to  see  Henry  Gresham  again.  He 
had  nothing  to  love  now.  The  carrier 
pigeons  had  been  burnt  up,  probably.  He 
thought  of  their  fate  with  a  deep  sigh,  and 
he  felt  very  desolate  when  he  thought  of 
Bill  and  his  lone  grave. 

The  electrical  show  was  a  decided  suc- 
cess, and  a  crowd  of  people  every  evening 
attempted  to  penetrate  into  the  mystery 
of  the  electrical  motor  which  moved  the 
vanes  of  the  flying-machine,  and  to  solve 
the  riddle  of  the  mechanism  of  the  mag- 
netic doll.  Richard  helped  George  Great- 
things,  whose  eyesight  had  been  enfeebled 
by  the  accident  at  the  fire,  and  gained 
much  valuable  experience  in  regard  to 
electrical  motors. 

Mr.    Moses,   who   closely    watched    the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  157 

crowd  which  gathered  about  George  Great- 
things  and  Richard  as  they  exhibited  their 
electrical  wonders,  resolved  to  introduce 
electrical  effects  upon  the  little  stage,  which 
occupied  one  side  of  the  great  room  that 
constituted  the  dime  museum.  Short 
plays  were  performed  upon  this  stage  be- 
fore an  audience  which  was  gathered  from 
those  who  were  tired  with  strolling  about, 
looking  at  the  giant  and  the  monkeys. 

In  order  to  fully  exhibit  the  wonders  of 
electricity,  a  melodrama  called  "  Playing 
with  the  Devil "  was  put  upon  the  stage. 
When  the  hero  of  the  play  fenced  with 
the  devil  brilliant  sparks  coruscated  upon 
the  swords ;  for  both  combatants  had  a 
suitable  connection  through  their  heels 
with  an  electric-light  wire,  and  whenever 
their  swords  touched,  an  electrical  circuit 
was  formed.  Then  there  were  mysterious 
frames  dancing  about  people's  heads,  and 
strange  handwritings  in  fire  upon  the  walls 


158  The  ElecU'ical  Boy. 

of  the  room.  The  machinery  of  all  this 
was  managed  almost  entirely  by  Richard, 
for  George  could  do  little  more  than  plan 
the  arrangements  for  the  experiments. 

One  of  the  favorite  exhibitions  in  the 
dime  museum  was  that  of  the  powers  of 
the  animal  magnetism  of  a  world-renowned 
animal  tamer.  This  individual,  standing 
a  hundred  feet  from  the  cage  in  which  the 
animal  was  placed,  could  make  it  bound 
and  leap  and  roar  by  merely  extending  his 
little  fino:er.  All  animals  seemed  to  be 
subject  to  his  influence;  even  a  turkey 
put  in  the  cage  strutted  about,  lifting  its 
feet  to  prodigious  heights,  and  flapping  its 
winsfs  with  the  utmost  victor  whenever  the 
tamer's  finorer  was  extended.  A  bear  went 
throuQ-h  antics  which  made  the  crowd  ex- 
plode  with  laughter.  It  mopped  its  brow 
with  its  great  paws,  and  danced  on  its 
legs,  opening  its  red  mouth  to  its  widest 
extent.      Animal    magnetism    was    surely 


The  Electrical  Boy.  159 

proved  by  the  powers    of    this   wonderful 
tamer. 

Greatthings  pointed  out  to  Richard  va- 
rious wires  running  along  the  ceiling  of 
the  cellar  to  the  ca^je  where  the  animal 
was  placed.  It  was  plain  to  him  that  the 
animal  tamer  stood  on  some  electrical  con- 
nections, and  when  he  extended  his  arm 
the  animal  in  the  casre  received  a  shock 

o 

of  electricity,  and  this  accounted   for  its 
strange  antics. 


i6o  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

A   WISE    PHILOSOPHER    AND    ELECTRICIAN 
APPEARS    UPON    THE    SCENE. 

'T~^HE  electrical  play  proved  a  great  suc- 
cess, and  Mr.  Moses  finally  got  his 
entire   show  into   it,    and    was    constantly 
adding  new  attractions. 

One  of  the  most  constant  attendants  at 
the  performances  was  a  venerable  old 
gentleman  with  a  prodigious  white  beard, 
which  covered  his  entire  bosom.  This  old 
gentleman  one  day  approached  George 
Greatthings,  and  entered  into  conversa- 
tion with  him  in  reoard  to  the  electri- 
cal  devices  used  in  the  play.  Greatthings 
discovered  that  the  venerable  old  gentle- 
man was  an  electrical  and  magnetic  physi- 
cian, who  had  an  office  in  a  neighboring 


The  Electrical  Boy.  i6i 

street.  He  had  lately  moved  into  the 
neighborhood  of  Moses'  Museum,  and 
had  already  acquired  a  great  reputation 
for  skill  and  wisdom.  When  Mr.  Moses 
saw  him  in  the  audience  witnessing  his 
electrical  play  he  felt  much  complimented, 
and  he  told  George  Greatthings  and 
Richard  that  there  was  a  friend  of  his 
witnessing  the  play  who  knew  more  about 
electricity  than  any  other  man  living.  The 
old  doctor  was  certainly  the  picture  of  wis- 
dom as  he  sat  with  his  great  white  beard 
resting  upon  his  folded  arms,  and  a  pair 
of  dark  blue  spectacles  upon  his  hooked 
nose.  His  name  was  Dr.  Socrates,  and 
it  was  said  that  he  was  a  Greek. 

After  the  play  one  evening  Dr.  Socrates 
sought  George  Greatthings  and  asked  vari- 
ous questions  in  regard  to  the  electrical 
devices.  He  said  that  his  knowleds^e  of 
electricity  was  confined  to  its  application 
to  the  human   body,    and    he    knew  little 


1 62  The  Electrical  Boy. 

about  electrical  instruments.  He  spoke 
with  a  decidedly  foreign  accent,  and  his 
manner  was  extremely  affable  and  ingra- 
tiating. The  old  man  Greatthings  felt 
flattered  by  the  attention  of  such  a  distin- 
guished old  gentleman ;  and  when  Dr. 
Socrates  asked  him  to  put  some  of  the 
medical  electrical  apparatus  which  he  used 
in  his  practice  in  order,  he  readily  assented. 
The  old  doctor  requested  him  to  bring 
Richard  to  his  office,  —  he  had  been  highly 
pleased  with  the  boy's  aptitude  for  the  sub- 
ject of  electricity.  Flattery  is  a  powerful 
agent,  and  Dr.  Socrates  knew  how  to  use 
it  with  great  effect.  The  old  man  Great- 
things  felt  that  he  had  discovered  at  last  a 
man  of  science  who  could  appreciate  him. 
Hitherto  he  had  dealt  with  and  had  been 
cheated  by  practical  men  ;  he  determined 
to  seize  the  first  opportunity  to  repair  with 
Richard  to  the  doctor's  office. 

On   arriving    there    one   afternoon    the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  163 

two  found  a  great  crowd  waiting  for  their 
turn  to  see  the  doctor.  The  patients  were 
in  the  main  poor  people.  Occasionahy  a 
carriage  with  footmen  in  Hvery  drove  up, 
and  fashionably-dressed  ladies  entered  the 
waiting-room.  It  was  pitiable  to  see  the 
look  of  expectancy  on  the  countenances 
of  the  sick  as  the  door  of  the  inner  room 
was  opened  by  an  attendant,  and  the  next 
in  order  was  summoned  to  see  the  doctor. 
One  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  great 
man  occasionally  through  the  half-opened 
door  as  he  sat  surrounded  by  strange  elec- 
trical machines.  Once  a  cripple  whom 
every  one  had  seen  enter  on  a  pair  of 
crutches  came  out  without  them,  exclaim- 
ing that  electricity  had  cured  him.  A 
great  sigh  of  excitement  pulsated  through 
the  waiting  crowd,  and  Richard  saw  a 
pale-faced  mother  brush  the  locks  from 
the  wasted  face  of  a  little  boy  beside  her, 
and  look    into    his    haggard    eyes   with    a 


164  The  Electrical  Boy. 

strange,  wistful  look,  laughing  and  crying 
hysterically. 

"  The  old  man  seems  to  know  how  to 
use  electricity  to  cure  people,"  said  George 
Greatthings,  "  although  his  talk  with  me 
showed  that  he  did  n't  know  anything 
about  electrical  instruments.  Electricity 
is  a  strange  thing;  I  've  been  working 
with  it  all  my  life,  and  I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  it  myself." 

After  a  while  the  patients  were  all 
treated,  and  George  Greatthings  and  Rich- 
ard were  ushered  into  the  learned  doctor's 
presence.  Dr.  Socrates  wiped  his  eyes 
and  uttered  a  deep  sigh  as  he  tottered 
about  the  room  to  provide  his  visitors 
with  seats. 

"  My  sympathies  are  much  excited  by 
the  ills  of  suffering  humanity,"  said  he  ; 
"  and  I  count  it  one  of  my  greatest  bless- 
ings that  I  can  relieve  in  many  cases  the 
ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to  by  the  application 


The  Electrical  Boy.  165 

of  that  mysterious  agent  electricity,' which 
is  becoming  the  great  moving  force  in  the 
worid." 

While  he  spoke,  the  attendant  entered, 
and  said  that  a  gentleman  would  like  to 
consult  the  doctor.  Dr.  Socrates  re- 
seated himself,  and  requested  the  attend- 
ant to  usher  in  the  gentleman,  at  the 
same  time  desirinor  Geors:e  Greatthino:s 
and  Richard  to  retire.  Dr.  Socrates, 
after  listening  to  the  gentleman's  account 
of  his  complaints,  desired  him  to  put  a 
bright  silver  quarter  on  his  tongue,  and 
to  take  hold  of  the  north  pole  of  a  magnet 
with  his  right  hand  and  the  south  pole 
with  his  left  hand,  and  to  remain  in  that 
position  until  he  felt  a  creeping  sensation 
at  the  root  of  his  tongue.  He  was  to  do 
this  three  times  a  day  before  meals,  and 
to  report  in  two  da3's.  The  gentleman 
said  he  felt  better  already,  and  took  down 
a  minute  account  of  the  kind  of  magnet 


1 66  The  Electrical  Boy. 

he  must  get.  As  he  passed  out  of  the 
waiting-room  he  told  George  Greatthings 
of  the  wonderful  effect  of  the  magnet. 

The  old  man  and  Richard  again  entered 
the  great  man's  presence,  and  spent  a  pleas- 
ant half-hour  in  looking  over  his  electrical 
appliances.  George  Greatthings  speedily 
saw  that  the  battery  employed  by  the 
doctor  for  giving  shocks  to  his  patients 
needed  some  more  plates  and  stronger 
acids.  The  great  glass  electrical  machine 
was  covered  with  dust,  and  the  paper  in- 
ductors had  fallen  off.  This  machine  had 
been  employed  by  the  doctor  to  give 
patients  electrical  baths,  which  he  assured 
Greatthings  had  a  wonderful  effect.  The 
latter  could  not  see  how  any  electricity 
could  flow  to  the  bath,  and  he  began  to 
doubt  the  doctor's  skill.  The  doctor,  as 
if  detecting  this  doubt  in  the  old  man's 
face,  turned  the  attention  of  his  visitors 
quickly  to  the  remarkable  effect  of  a  silver 


The  Electrical  Boy.  167 

quarter  held  on  the  tongue  while  the  hands 
were  connected  with  a  medical  shocking- 
coil.  The  doctor  told  Richard  to  hold  the 
coin  on  his  tongue  until  the  shocks  gave 
him  an  acid  taste.  The  shocks  were  so 
severe  that  Richard  quickly  imagined  the 
time  had  come  for  the  acid  taste.  George 
also,  on  trying  the  experiment,  was  willing 
to  grant  that  an  acid  taste  would  appear 
if  the  experiment  was  tried  sufficiently 
long. 

The  two  visitors  retired  after  their  first 
interview,  very  much  impressed,  on  the 
whole,  with  Dr.  Socrates.  If  his  knowl- 
edge of  his  electrical  appliances  did  not 
seem  complete,  what  was  wanting  in  the 
technical  details  was  undoubtedly  made 
up  by  his  knowledge  of  the  human  organ- 
ization. The  smell  of  ether  in  the  office, 
the  sight  of  the  skeleton  which  hung  on  the 
wall,  together  with  the  many  vials  filled 
with   strange    preserved    objects,  and   the 


1 68  The  Electrical  Boy. 

number   of   learned  books,    testified  suffix 
ciently  to  the  doctor's  medical  acumen. 

Temptations  began  to  multiply  about 
Richard.  He  was  solicited  by  the  young 
boys  and  girls  wlio  frequented  the  show 
to  go  with  them  to  larger  theatres,  or  to 
stroll  at  night  on  the  brilliantly  lighted 
streets.  The  boy,  who  had  never  known 
what  pleasure  is,  whose  early  life  had 
been  starved,  would  have  undoubtedly  ac- 
cepted the  invitations  of  these  new-found 
friends,  had  it  not  been  for  Greatthings, 
who  resolved  that  he  would  save  the  boy 
if  possible  from  the  fate  that  had  over- 
taken himself.  He  strove  to  enlighten 
Richard  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the 
new  acquaintances,  and  pointed  out  that 
the  handsome  girl  with  the  curls  had  a 
vulgar  voice  and  a  rude  temper,  and  that 
the  young  men  were  idle  fellows  who  had 
no  pursuit  save  that  of  low  pleasures. 
Greatthings   stimulated    the   ambition    of 


Tlie  Electrical  Boy.  169 

Richard  by  telling  him  of  the  struggles  of 
great  men  in  their  youth,  and  at  the  same 
time  pursued  the  practical  method  of  keep- 
ing the  boy's  fingers  busy  with  interesting 
work  with  electrical  motors  and  batteries. 
As  far  as  he  was  able,  Greatthina:s  tauorht 
the  boy  to  draw,  and  stimulated  his  powers 
of  invention  by  telling  him  to  think  out 
something  new  each  day. 

Greatthings's  heart  was  stirred  by  a 
new  emotion.  The  waif  who  worked  so 
patiently  with  him ;  who  moved  as  if  a  part 
of  Greatthings  when  the  latter  took  him 
to  the  wharves  and  to  the  picture  galleries ; 
who  seemed  to  know  by  intuition  when 
his  old  friend  was  tired  ;  who  had  such  a 
melodious  voice  and  such  touching  eyes, — 
had  stirred  the  dormant  feeling  of  love 
in  the  man's  breast.  Love  is  a  strange 
thing:  it  can  give  a  light  of  enchantment 
to  the  commonest  object ;  it  can  make  the 
roughest  man  speak  gently;    and  it   can 


170  The  Electrical  Boy. 

even  make  one  human  being  give  up  his 
life  that  another  may  live.  Greatthings 
felt  that  he  had  gone  through  life  blind. 
He  determined  that  he  would  do  all  in  his 
power  to  put  Richard  on  the  right  path. 
It  may  have  been  that  his  lectures  to  the 
boy  as  they  worked  together  over  electrical 
apparatus  were  somewhat  prolix ;  but  the 
boy  felt  that  the  old  man  loved  him;  and 
he  listened  half  comprehending,  for  he  did 
not  feel  impelled  to  go  astray,  and  there- 
fore could  not  understand  fully  the  perils 
of  which  Greatthings  frequently  spoke. 

"  Your  mind,"  said  the  old  man,  "  is 
probably  becoming  set  upon  the  subject  of 
electricity.  I  doubt  if  you  will  ever  devote 
yourself  to  any  other  subject.  I  believe 
that  a  boy  gets  a  turn  for  a  certain  thing 
earlier  than  we  generally  suppose.  I  be- 
lieve that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  have 
large  arcades,  radiating  from  a  central 
station,  through  which  we  could  be  trun- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  171 

died  when  we  are  beginning  to  observe 
thinsfs.     These  arcades  could  be  covered 

O 

with  pictured  paper  representing  the  vari- 
ous arts  and  the  history  of  the  world.  A 
bent  could  be  thus  given  the  boy  very 
early.  I  remember  an  old  lithograph 
which  hunor  on  the  wall  of  the  wretched 
room  in  which  I  was  born  ;  it  represented 
a  flying-machine,  and  I  have  been  at  work 
all  my  life  on  a  similar  machine.  We 
don't  know  much  about  education,  I  be- 
lieve. As  soon  as  he  is  born  a  man  begins 
to  grow  old,  and  you  have  got  to  hurry  up 
if  you  wish  to  form  the  man." 

Greatthings  thus  talked  to  the  little 
fellow  who  sat  up  to  the  work-bench  and 
aided  him  in  his  work.  The  old  man  felt 
that  if  he  had  been  trundled  when  a  child 
through  a  hall  filled  with  pictures  of  heroic 
deeds,  he  would  not  have  had  to  struggle 
all  his  life  with  a  weak  moral  will.  Love 
for  a  human  being  had  now  come  to  aid 


172  The  Electrical  Boy. 

him,  and  he  felt  every  fibre  of  his  nature 
strengthened.  Occasionally,  thinking  that 
Mr.  Moses  got  the  advantage  in  dealings 
with  him,  Greatthings  made  erroneous 
statements  of  the  expense  of  the  work  he 
was  engaged  upon.  Then  deep  contrition 
seized  him,  and  he  made  ample  reparation, 
saying  to  himself,  "  Courage,  Greatthings ; 
you  will  get  the  better  of  yourself,  —  you 
are  improving." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  17; 


CHAPTER    XII. 

GREATMAN  IS  EDUCATED  BY  GREATTHINGS. 

pREATTHINGS  had  decided  views 
in  regard  to  the  education  of  boys. 
He  would  have  them  know  how  to  use 
their  fingers  in  the  first  place,  in  order,  as 
he  expressed  it,  to  draw  off  the  charge  in 
the  brain  and  dissipate  it  through  the 
fingers.  It  did  not  matter  much  what 
kind  of  a  charge  was  put  into  the  brain. 
The  way  to  make  the  charge  strong  was 
to  keep  turning  a  crank  of  some  sort  and 
to  put  in  the  same  kind  of  charge.  The 
study  of  electricit3^  said  Greatthings,  was 
a  suitable  subject  for  boys.  It  interested 
them,  kept  them  from  the  low  pleasures 
of  the  street;  and  the  result  might  in  time 
benefit  mankind.      Like  so  many  practical 


174  ^'^^  Electrical  Boy. 

men  who  have  achieved  great  facility  in 
some  one  branch  of  the  mechanic  arts, 
Greatthings  felt  that  he  could  pronounce 
on  the  value  of  a  university  education,  and 
he  accordingly  condemned  it.  It  is  cer- 
tain, however,  that  Richard  made  rapid 
progress  in  intellectual  aptitude  under  the 
teachinor  of  Greatthinors.  The  latter  com- 
pelled  him  to  bring  a  sketch  of  some  ob- 
ject, he  did  not  care  what,  to  him  every 
day.  He  taught  him  to  sit  by  himself  a 
stated  time  each  day,  and  to  think  out 
some  new  invention  in  electricity.  The 
sketches  were  commented  upon,  not  intel- 
ligently to  be  sure,  but  with  great  care. 
The  boy  soon  began  to  criticise  and  com- 
pare his  efforts  for  himself.  The  old  man, 
however,  did  not  notice  that  under  his 
interesting  tasks  the  bright-eyed  boy  grew 
pale  and  thin.  How  could  it  be  other- 
wise ?  The  boy  took  no  exercise,  and 
lacked  entirely  the  pleasures  of  youth. 


The  Electrical  Bay.  175 

Occasionally  the  two  stole  away  from 
the  dime  museum  and  wandered  down  to 
the  wharves.  Richard  was  impelled  by  a 
longing  which  tempted  him  to  seek  other 
lands  where  life  might  be  more  joyful,  and 
where  the  eyes  could  be  feasted  with  the 
sights  of  romance.  The  old  man  was  cyni- 
cal about  the  foreign  lands  which  had  such 
a  charm  to  the  young  boy,  and  he  pointed 
out  the  swarms  of  foreign  immigrants  who 
came  from  a  steamer  which  had  just  ar- 
rived. These  poverty-stricken  people  had 
probably  regarded  the  country  of  Richard 
and  Greatthings  as  the  Eldorado  of  their 
hopes.  Richard,  however,  was  full  of  the 
wine  of  youth  ;  and  the  smell  of  the  tar, 
the  creaking  of  the  ropes,  and  the  boat- 
swain's whistle  made  his  heart  leap  with 
almost  uncontrollable  longing. 

The  thoughts  of  a  boy  are  long,  long 
thoughts,  and  Richards  heart  throbbed 
when  he  saw  the  mysterious  ships  going 


176  The  Electrical  Boy. 

to  countries  far  beyond  the  distant  sea-line. 
The  thousand  impressions  of  foreign  lands 
gained  by  looking  in  the  windows  of  pic- 
ture shops  and  hearing  stories  of  countries 
where  there  were  kings  and  palaces  to- 
gether formed  a  picture  which  impelled 
him  to  leave  the  sordid  surroundings  in 
which  he  found  himself,  and  to  set  out  for 
scenes  of  enchantment. 

Greatthings  listened  to  the  boy's  impetu- 
ous confidences  in  regard  to  seeking  new 
lands  with  a  smile  of  pity. 

"  I  had  dreams  like  yours  when  I  was  a 
boy,"  he  said.  "  Perhaps  I  could  have 
reached  some  of  these  lands  of  luxury  and 
contentment  by  working  hard  and  striving 
to  educate  myself  where  I  was.  Instead  of 
doing  this,  I  abandoned  all  effort  at  educa- 
tion, and  set  sail  in  a  ship  as  a  boy  of  all 
work.  I  found  that  the  palaces  and  the 
gardens  full  of  delights  were  only  in  my 
own   mind.      I    was   knocked   about   and 


The  Electrical  Boy.  I77 

forced  to  associate  with  hardened  charac- 
ters. I  found  the  foreign  cities  filled  with 
want  and  misery,  and  I  saw  no  palaces  or 
gardens  which  were  open  to  me.  Delu- 
sions, boy,  —  delusions.  The  best  thing  is 
to  work  where  you  are,  and  get  an  educa- 
tion. If  I  had  known  this  truth  when  I 
was  of  your  age,  I  should  not  be  in  my 
old    age    a    wanderer,    without    home    or 

family." 

The  old  man's  figure  drooped,  and  he 
suddenly    seemed    to    Richard    to    grow 

very  old. 

"  Perhaps  we  shall  fly  to  those  foreign 
lands  in  your  electrical  flying-machine," 
said  Richard,  with  a  desire  to  say  some- 
thino-  that  would  encourage  his  companion. 

Greatthings's  figure  grew  suddenly  erect ; 
a  fierce  light  shone  in  his  eyes,  and  he 
grasped  the  little  boy's  shoulder  with  a 
clutch  which  made  Richard  wince,  saying, 
"We'll  get  there,  boy,  yet." 


178  The  Electrical  Boy. 

On  one  occasion  Greatthings  took  Rich- 
ard aboard  a  steamer  which  lay  in  the 
stream,  and  they  viewed  the  great  engines 
and  saw  the  dynamos  which  supplied  the 
ship  with  light.  Greatthings  explained 
how  the  ship  was  steered  by  means  of 
electricity,  —  an  electric  current  regulated 
the  valves  which  allowed  steam  to  work 
the  gear  connected  with  the  rudder.  The 
engineer  said  that  it  formerly  took  from 
four  to  eisfht  men  to  hold  the  rudder-wheel 
in  a  severe  storm,  and  now  steam  did  all 
the  work.  The  engineer  explained  the 
compass,  and  said  the  iron  hull  of  the  ship 
affected  the  indications  of  the  compass. 
He  knew  of  no  way  to  prevent  this.  He 
then  proceeded  to  tell  of  a  voyage  he  had 
once  made  in  the  southern  seas,  and  how 
a  mutinous  crew  had  tried  to  alter  the  in- 
dications of  the  ship's  compass  and  drive 
her  out  of  her  course  by  placing  a  keg  of 
nails  near  it.    Fortunately  their  knowledge 


The  Electrical  Boy,  179 

of  magnetism  was  limited,  for  it  was  found 
that  the  nails  were  made  of  copper. 

The  engineer  of  the  ship  looked  at  the 
eager,  intelligent  face  of  Richard  with  in- 
terest, and  took  him  and  Greatthings  over 
every  part  of  the  ship,  and  explained  the 
mechanism  by  means  of  which  the  dyna- 
mos were  run,  and  how  they  lighted  the 
ship.  He  told  them  that  electric  lights 
were  not  successfully  used  for  the  head- 
lights of  the  steamship,  for  they  were 
apt  to  blind  the  eyes  of  the  look-outs  on 
the  steamships  as  they  were  nearing  each 
other. 

"  Oil  lamps,"  said  the  engineer,  "  have 
some  virtues  still  which  electricity  has  not 
superseded." 

Their  guide  showed  them  the  invention 
of  one  of  the  ofificers,  —  a  long  shark-like 
boat,  which  he  said  was  to  run  under  water 
with  only  the  fork  of  the  tail  visible  above 
water.      This  boat  was  to  be  directed  by 


I  So  The  Electrical  Boy. 

electricity  through  wires  which  trailed  in 
the  water  behind  the  tail.  It  was  to  carry 
a  torpedo  on  its  snout,  and  in  the  case  of 
war  it  was  to  be  sent  out  to  blow  up  an 
enemy's  man-of-war.  The  engineer  ex- 
plained the  electrical  part  of  the  invention 
to  Greatthings,  who  was  much  interested, 
for  this  was  a  special  case  of  his  flying- 
machine,  only  it  was  a  swimming  machine, 
using  water  instead  of  air.  The  old  in- 
ventor as  he  listened  was  evidently  ponder- 
ing whether  a  spindle-shaped  vessel  could 
not  be  driven  under  water  by  electricity, 
far  below  the  commotions  of  the  storms. 
The  engineer  explained  to  Richard  how 
the  attraction  of  the  iron  ship  on  the 
compass  was  compensated  by  magnets 
placed  below  the  compass  on  the  deck; 
and  he  took  the  boy  into  the  rigging  to 
show  him  a  compass  that  was  removed  as 
far  as  possible  from  the  disturbing  effect 
of  the  iron  plates  of   the  ship's  hull.      He 


The  Electrical  Boy.  i8i 

told  Richard  that  they  often  swung  the 
ship  after  a  voyage  in  order  to  ascertain 
the  effect  of  this  attraction  in  saiUng  on 
different  courses.  This  operation  con- 
sisted in  reading  the  compass  while  the 
position  of  the  ship  was  noted  by  observ- 
ing definite  points  on  the  shore  or  on 
buoys. 

When  Greatthings  and  Richard  left  the 
ship  they  expressed  their  deep  thanks  for 
the  kindness  of  their  host.  Could  the 
engineer  have  realized  the  wealth  of 
pleasant  recollections  which  he  gave  the 
boy  he  would  have  been  richly  rewarded 
for  the  time  he  spent  with  his  unknown 
and  humble  visitors.  The  engineer  once 
had  a  boy  of  about  Richard's  age,  and  on 
steaming  into  the  harbor  of  his  native  city, 
after  a  year's  absence,  was  informed  that 
his  boy  was  no  more.  Richard's  face 
touched  deep  chords  within  the  engineer's 
breast.      That   capacity    we    all    have    for 


1 82  The  Electrical  Boy. 

helping  others  sometimes  is  not  known  to 
us  until  we  lose  one  we  love.  Its  awaken- 
ing seems  like  a  child  teaching  a  man,  and 
when  we  see  it  we  believe  that  those  gone 
before  are  reaching  back  their  hands  to 
us  to  lift  us  up  to  the  heights  they  h^ve 
gained.  It  is  pleasant  to  think  that  this 
is  so. 

On  leaving  the  ship  and  returning  to 
the  dime  museum,  Greatthings  expressed 
the  firm  conviction  that  some  day  we 
should  fly  to  Europe  in  flying-machines. 

Greatthings  explained  to  Richard  that  a 
flying-machine  could  be  constructed  if  an 
electrical  motor  of  small  weight  and  of 
large  power  could  be  made.  He  showed 
the  boy  his  various  attempts  to  produce  a 
small  but  efficient  motor.  The  whirring 
little  engines  moved  by  electricity  had  a 
great  charm  for  the  boy.  He  took  them 
to  pieces  and  examined  all  their  parts,  and 


The  Electrical  Boy.  183 

made  new  ones.  There  was  no  occasion 
to  use  the  electric  current  from  the  street 
lines  by  stealth,  for  the  dime  museum 
was  lighted  by  electricity,  and  Greatthings 
could  have  all  the  current  he  desired  for 
his  experiments. 

"  If  I  could  only  continue  my  experi- 
ments without  interruption,"  said  he  to 
Richard,  "  I  believe  I  could  fly  in  a 
month." 

Richard  had  a  mental  picture  of  Great- 
things  and  himself  rising  from  the  roof  of 
the  museum  and  sailing  through  the  se- 
rene sky  far  out  into  the  country. 

Richard's  days  were  fully  occupied  by 
preparing  for  the  electrical  shows  in  the 
dime  museum,  and  in  helping  Greatthings 
on  his  various  electrical  ideas.  The  old 
man  had  a  shop  in  the  loft  of  the  museum, 
and  was  busily  at  work  again  on  his  flying- 
machine.  He  felt  that  there  was  a  fortune 
in  it,  and  he  induced  Mr.  Moses  to  advance 


184  The  Electrical  Boy. 

small  sums  to  aid  in  its  completion.  That 
gentleman  felt  a  little  sceptical ;  but  the 
old  man  was  proving  a  valuable  acquisi- 
tion, and  he  was  willing  to  risk  a  small 
sum,  especially  after  papers  had  passed 
between  them  which  secured  to  him  the 
lion's  share  of  the  future  invention. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  185 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

GREATMAN    AND    GREATTHINGS    SET    FPEE 
A    GIANT. 

"P  IC HARD'S  most  intimate  friend  was 
the  giant.  He  listened  by  the  hour 
to  accounts  of  the  great  West,  and  with 
the  wild  thoughts  of  a  boy,  he  often  longed 
to  be  on  those  mountains,  and  see  the 
strange  animals  and  the  Indians. 

The  giant  was  becoming  more  and 
more  valuable  to  Mr.  Moses.  It  was  a 
shame  that  people  would  not  let  Mr. 
Moses  have  his  giant  in  peace.  The 
proprietor  of  a  mammoth  circus  offered 
the  giant  double  the  sum  he  was  getting 
from  Mr.  Moses.  That  gentleman  imme- 
diately outbid  the  circus  proprietor.  In 
a   week's   time   the   proprietor  of  a  Wild 


1 86  The  Electrical  Boy. 

West  Show  made  an  offer  of  thousands 
of  dollars  to  the  giant  to  accompany  him 
to  Europe  as  the  Great  American  Giant. 
Mr.  Moses  folded  his  hands  in  despair. 
He  felt  that  he  could  only  rely  upon  the 
giant's  gratitude  for  bringing-  him  into 
such  a  blaze  of  reputation. 

To  the  astonishment  of  Mr.  Moses,  the 
giant  refused  the  glittering  offer  of  the 
proprietor  of  the  Wild  West  Show.  Then 
Mr.  Moses  felt  that  the  giant  was  surely  ill, 
and  he  rushed  for  Dr.  Socrates  in  the  hopes 
that  an  electrical  bath  or  a  magnetic  touch 
would  restore  the  enormous  human  ma- 
chine sufificiently  to  enable  money  to  be 
made  out  of  him, —  but  not  sufificiently  to 
enable  the  sriant  to  make  monev. 

In  truth,  the  giant  had  come  to  a  sudden 
resolution  ;  perhaps  in  the  long  talks  with 
the  enthusiastic  boy  about  his  old  western 
home,  the  memory  of  the  golden  sunsets, 
the  cry  of  the  birds   in  the   morning   as 


The  Electrical  Boy.  187 

they  circled  above  the  great  red  cedars, 
the  smell  of  the  fresh  earth  instead  of  the 
foul  air  of  the  dime  museum,  had  come 
back  to  him  with  full  force.  The  little 
child's  heart  in  the  great  giant  felt  home- 
sick. What  was  money?  It  gave  him 
nothing.  He  was  sick  of  exhibiting  him- 
self;  of  having  rude  men  feel  the  muscles 
of  his  immense  arms ;  of  standing  up  be- 
side dwarfs  to  be  measured ;  and  hearing 
an  attendant  tell  lies  about  his  prowess. 
His  poetical  nature  was  continually  shocked 
by  the  rude  music  of  the  dime  museum,  by 
the  sight  of  the  shams,  and  the  dirty  crowd 
that  surged  back  and  forth  in  front  of  the 
throne  where  he  sat  for  hours.  Could 
money  give  him  better  air  than  he  had 
enjoyed  in  his  mountain  home ;  or  a  better 
appetite,  which  was  satisfied  with  trout 
from  the  mountain  streams  and  the  fruit 
from  the  lower  valleys .?  When  the  giant 
thought  of  all  this,  he  rose  and  stretched 


1 88  The  Electrical  Boy. 

his  ereat  arms  to  heaven.  The  crowd 
set  up  a  shriek  and  rushed  back,  crying 
that  the  giant  had  gone  mad.  Certainly 
his  face  was  working  with  tremendous 
emotion,  and  the  stamp  of  his  immense 
foot  was  terrifying.  It  was  merely  a 
child's  longing  in  the  immense  creature. 

The  giant  unburdened  his  heart  to 
Richard  in  the  night,  when  the  dime  mu- 
seum was  closed  to  the  idle  seekers  after 
amusement.  He  said  that  Americans 
called  the  United  States  a  free  country, 
where  every  one  could  pursue  happiness 
unmolested.  The  giant  thought  that  a 
republic  meant  a  country  where  there  was 
delicate  and  just  consideration  for  the 
rights  of  every  one ;  where  no  one  should 
be  the  slave  of  another  man  or  of  a  band 
of  men.  It  seemed  to  him  that  an  auto- 
crat ruled  the  country,  and  that  potentate 
was  money. 

"  Even  when  they  move   about  in    the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  189 

show,  looking  at  the  dancing  bear  or  the 
Circassian  lady,"  said  the  giant,  "  I  hear 
the  men  talking  about  their  business, — 
how  much  tliey  have  made  during  the  past 
month,  and  how  much  they  hope  to  make 
during  the  next." 

The  giant  evidently  had  his  pessimistic 
moods,  and  he  sighed  like  the  wailing  of 
the  wind  in  the  forest,  giving  unconscious 
expression  to  the  lines  of  the  poet,  — 

"  Oh,  for  a  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness, 
Some  boundless  contiguity  of  shade." 

"  Imagine,"  said  the  giant,  "  a  life  in 
which  there  is  no  privacy.  Even  when  I 
am  asleep  some  enterprising  person  is 
photographing  me  for  an  advertisement  of 
the  Giant  Baking  Powder  or  the  Giant 
Motor.  I  am  interviewed  constantly  by 
reporters  who  wish  to  know  how  much  I 
eat  and  how  much  I  drink,  and  whether  I 
use  tobacco  in  any  form  ;  young  doctors 
who  wish  to  get  before  the  public  measure 


IQO  The  Electrical  Boy. 

what  they  call  my  reflex  actions  ;  scien- 
tific professors  make  accurate  measure- 
ments of  my  head;  and  the  agent  of  a 
religious  newspaper  was  very  desirous  of 
knowing  what  my  religious  belief  is.  Al- 
though I  felt  very  meek,  and  my  heart  was 
sick  within  me,  I  lost  control  of  my  voice, 
and  rolled  forth  an  exclamation  which  ap- 
parently testified  to  a  belief  in  the  place  of 
torments.  Since  I  have  become  the  largest 
giant  in  the  world,  I  am  robbed  of  even 
the  few  moments  of  privacy  I  formerly  en- 
joyed. A  reporter  awoke  me  last  night  at 
midnight  to  know  if  it  were  true  that  I 
had  signed  a  contract  for  ten  thousand 
dollars  a  year  with  the  Great  Combination 
Show." 

The  giant  rested  his  great  head  in  his 
hands  and  repeated,  "  '  All  men  are  born 
free  and  equal,  and  entitled  to  the  pursuit 
of  liberty  and  happiness.'  Those  are  high- 
sounding   words ;   but  are  they  true,  and 


The  Electrical  Boy.  191 

will  they  ever  be  true  ?  I  was  born  a  sen- 
sitive, shrinking  spirit,  almost  like  that  of 
a  girl,  enslaved  in  a  frame  that  grew 
to  be  that  of  a  giant.  Men  know  how 
to  keep  me  in  slavery  for  their  selfish 
ends.  It  shall  be  no  longer  so;  I  will 
be  free ! " 

The  slant  lost  control  of  his  voice,  and 
the  room  quivered  at  his  words. 

"  I  feel  that  I  am  entitled  to  the  pursuit 
of  liberty;  but  I  fear  happiness  is  never 
for  me." 

Richard  tried  to  express  his  sympathy 
by  putting  his  hand  into  the  giant's  great 
one.  A  great  shiver  went  through  Leap's 
frame,  and  he  looked  at  the  boy  with  that 
intense  yearning  gaze  which  Richard  no- 
ticed whenever  he  listened  while  the  giant 
poured  forth  his  confidences. 

"  I  dreamed  the  other  night,"  continued 
the  o-iant,  "  that  there  was  a  thunder-storm 
in  the  mountains  about  the  hut  where   I 


192  The  Electrical  Boy. 

lived  before  I  died  and  went  to  a  dime 
museum.  The  thunder  rolled  ;  but  strange 
to  say,  there  was  no  lightning.  The  clouds 
parted,  and  the  sun  came  out  with  that 
beautiful  smile  on  the  wet  landscape  which 
makes  one  think  that  the  world  is  at  peace. 
I  smelt  the  mountain-strawberry  blossoms 
and  the  delicate  odors  of  the  grass  flowers. 
The  earth,  too,  had  a  delicious  smell.  I 
had  thrown  aside  this  great  cumbrous 
mass  of  bones  and  flesh,  and  I  was  a 
laughing  child,  running  hand  in  hand  with 
another  child  down  the  mountain  slopes. 
Our  hearts  were  full  of  ecstasy  and  happi- 
ness. The  horizon  was  far  off,  and  the 
pleasures  of  one  day  when  they  were  tired 
beckoned  in  another  set  for  the  morrow. 
Then  the  sky  darkened  again,  the  thunder- 
storms came  back.  A  great  crash  re- 
sounded through  the  mountains,  then 
another.  Then  there  was  a  blinding  flash, 
so  vivid  that  it  awoke   me,  and    I    found 


The  Electrical  Boy.  193 

that  a  photographer  had  been  taking  me 
by  a  flash  light." 

The  oriant  told  Richard  that  he  had  left 
his  wild  mountain  home  with  great  reluct- 
ance ;  but  he  could  not  escape  the  impor- 
tunities of  the  agents  of  Mr.  Moses,  who 
had,  so  to  speak,  insisted  upon  carrying 
him  away  bodily.  These  agents  had  not 
been  deterred  from  venturing  into  the 
wilderness  by  the  fear  of  grizzly  bears  or 
hostile  tribes  of  Indians,  and  gave  the 
giant  no  peace.  They  speedily  discovered 
that  he  had  a  little  child's  heart,  and  by 
threatening  and  cajoling  they  carried  him 
away.  A  great  fortune  had  been  promised 
him,  and  every  day  piles  of  gold  coin  were 
showed  him  to  tempt  him  away  from  Mr. 
Moses,  and  Mr.  Moses  showed  him  gold 
in  return  which  was  his  if  he  would  re- 
main. It  was  evident  that  giants  were 
scarce  and  could  get  their  own  price ; 
but  the  giant  was  sick  at  heart,  and  longed 


194  ^>^^  Electrical  Boy. 

for  his  freedom.  He  did  not  know  how 
he  could  obtain  it,  for  his  timid  nature 
made  him  quickly  yield  to  subjection.  He 
asked  Richard  if  he  could  help  him. 
There  was  something  pathetic  in  the 
great  creature  asking  assistance  from  a 
stripling  whose  head  hardly  came  above 
the  oriant's  knees.  Richard  consulted  old 
Greatthings  in  regard  to  the  giant's  escape, 
and  found  that  George  was  enthusiastically 
interested  in  the  scheme. 

"  My  own  life  has  been  a  long  endeavor 
to  escape  enemies  and  harpies  who  have 
preyed  upon  me,"  he  muttered ;  "  I  '11  give 
this  great  wretch  an  opportunity  to  obtain 
his  freedom.  He  will  die  if  he  remains 
here." 

Greatthings  accordingly  dispatched  Rich- 
ard to  the  Central  Railway  Station  one 
night  to  make  various  inquiries  about  the 
route  which  the  giant  must  pursue  to  reach 
his  far  western  home.    Richard  came  back 


The  Electrical  Boy.  195 

with  the  necessary  information,  and  the 
plans  for  the  escape  of  the  giant  were 
carefully  made. 

When  the  appointed  time  came  Leap 
shrank  from  the  responsibility.  His  cour- 
age seemed  to  desert  him,  and  he  concluded 
in  a  helpless  way  that  he  was  born  to  be 
exhibited. 

The  giant  had  brought  from  the  West 
a  prairie  dog,  which  he  had  made  a  great 
pet.  The  close  confinement  of  the  dime 
museum,  however,  proved  unhealthy  for 
the  little  animal,  and  it  began  to  mope 
and  to  grow  ill.  The  giant  bent  over  it, 
trying  anxiously  to  restore  it  to  health. 
Every  one  was  interested  in  the  giant's 
trouble  ;  and  he  found  that  the  very  per- 
sons who  seemed  so  bent  upon  money- 
making  had  kind  hearts,  and  prescribed 
freely  for  the  prairie  dog.  The  giant  re- 
ceived so  many  infallible  remedies  that, 
following   the   advice   of   Greatthings,    he 


196  The  Electrical  Boy, 

entered  them  as  he  received  them  in  a 
note-book ;  and  when  he  was  asked  if  he 
had  tried  a  remedy,  he  would  point  to  the 
book  and  show  that  there  were  at  least 
fifty  infallible-cure  prescriptions  which  pre- 
ceded the  one  in  question. 

Nothing,  however,  could  help  the  little 
prairie  dog.  It  needed  the  wild  western 
sky,  the  freedom  of  the  great  prairie,  and 
the  smell  of  the  virgin  earth.  One  morn- 
ing it  went  west  and  left  its  body  behind. 
The  grief  of  Ferdinand  Leap  was  great, 
and  seemed  childish,  especially  so  when  he 
particularly  requested  Mr.  Moses  to  have 
the  prairie  dog  buried  in  the  country  near 
a  run  in  a  verdant  spot.  Mr.  Moses  gained 
the  reputation  of  a  wit  by  repeating  this 
injunction  of  the  giant,  and  then  proceeded 
to  have  the  dos:  stuffed  to  add  to  his  col- 
lection  of  western  curiosities.  He  doubt- 
less hoped  that  this  act  would  never  come 
to  the  attention  of  the  giant,  for  the  stuffed 


The  Electrical  Boy.  197 

animals  were  in  a  portion  of  the  show  very 
remote  from  that  occupied  by  Leap.  It 
may  have  been  that  a  dire  suspicion  fell 
upon  the  giant,  for  he  left  his  customary 
seat  one  morning,  and  walked  to  the  por- 
tion of  the  museum  occupied  by  the  collec- 
tion of  stuffed  animals.  Here  he  saw  his 
pet  sitting  on  his  haunches  just  at  the 
entrance  to  a  prairie  burrow.  Mr.  Moses, 
who  had  watched  the  peregrinations  of  the 
giant  from  afar,  suddenly  retreated  behind 
the  stage. 

The  vacillations  of  the  giant  were  at 
length  cured ;  he  would  go  west,  and  give 
up  this  degrading  exhibition  of  himself. 
One  dark  night  he  left  the  dime  museum 
never  to  return. 

Before  Leap  left  he  visited  the  collection 
of  stuffed  animals,  and  the  door  resistino- 
his  efforts  to  open  it,  broke  it  down  with 
his  great  fist,  took  out  the  stuffed  body 
of  his  little  pet,  and  wrapped  it  up  carefully 


198  TJie  Electrical  Boy, 

with  his  bundle  of  clothes.  In  the  morn- 
ing the  disappearance  of  the  giant  was 
noticed,  and  Mr.  Moses  sent  out  agents 
to  discover  Leap's  whereabouts.  He  sus- 
pected the  proprietor  of  the  Wild  West 
Show  and  the  manager  of  the  mammoth 
circus  of  stealing  his  giant ;  but  if  they 
had  induced  him  to  leave  the  Moses  Mu- 
seum they  had  shipped  him  off  by  some 
steamer,  for  he  could  not  be  found  in  New 
York. 

Greatthings,  in  his  desire  to  help  the 
giant,  did  not  reflect  upon  the  effect  of  his 
action  upon  the  prosperity  of  Mr.  Moses. 
That  gentleman  felt  that  he  had  received 
a  sudden  commercial  blow.  The  greatest 
attraction  of  the  museum  had  disappeared. 
Mr.  Moses  had  arranged  for  an  extensive 
European  tour  with  the  American  giant. 
The  times  were  extremely  favorable  for 
such  a  venture,  since  in  London  everything 
American  was  the  rage.     Mr.  Moses  saw  a 


The  Electrical  Boy.  199 

fortune  within  his  grasp,  and  in  the  same 
breath  saw  it  withdrawn.  He  had  besun 
to  speculate  with  the  gold  that  was  surely 
to  be  his,  and  now  he  must  spend  money 
to  send  agents  again  to  the  West  to  bring 
back  the  giant.  Where  could  he  get  the 
money  .f* — for  he  had  risked  much  in  his 
speculations.  Misfortunes  never  come 
singly.  The  finest  line  of  monkeys  in  the 
world  fell  sick,  and  the  public  gaze  had  to 
be  shut  out  from  the  contemplation  of  their 
interesting  gambols. 

The  public  began  to  lose  their  interest 
in  the  electrical  play,  and  fell  to  criticising 
the  flying-machine.  The  American  mind 
worships  success,  and  it  could  not  be  said 
that  Greatthings's  machine  offered  any 
immediate  possibility  of  travelling  by  elec- 
tricity through  the  air. 

One  day  the  entrance  to  the  Moses  Mu- 
seum was  closed,  and  a  true  policeman  was 
in  charge  of  the  premises.     He  was  waiting 


200  The  Electrical  Boy. 

for  the  return  of  Mr.  Moses,  who  had  de- 
camped suddenly,  no  one  knew  where. 
The  warriors  of  the  upper  Congo  and 
Cleopatra  sought  prosaic  employments  in 
the  restaurants  of  the  neighborhood,  and 
the  monkeys  were  buried  at  the  public 
expense. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  201 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

ELECTRICITY    ACTS    THE    PART    OF    AN    EVIL 
SPIRIT. 

pREATTHINGS  and  Richard  Great- 
man  were  thrown  again  upon  the 
cold  world,  apparently  without  resources. 
Dr.  Socrates,  however,  speedily  took  them 
both  into  his  employment ;  and  Greatthings 
told  Richard,  in  a  tone  of  exultation,  that 
they  had  fallen  on  their  feet.  There  might 
be  some  humbug  in  the  doctor's  use  of 
electricity ;  but  there  was  also  a  great  deal 
of  humbug  in  the  dime  museum.  In  fact, 
the  old  man  believed  that  there  was  a 
great  deal  of  humbug  in  the  world.  We 
must  remember  that  Greatthings  had  had 
a  bitter  struggle,  and  that    always  makes 


202  The  Electrical  Boy. 

one  cynical,  unless  one  has  had  a  univer- 
sity education. 

Accordingly,  the  two  busied  themselves 
with  the  electrical  appliance  of  the  learned 
doctor.  One  of  their  first  employments 
was  to  arrange  the  doctor's  galvanometer, 
which  he  used  to  ascertain  the  location  of 
brain  troubles  in  his  patients.  This  is  the 
way  in  which  he  did  it.  In  tlie  first  place 
we  must  describe  the  manner  in  which 
George  Greatthings  made  the  galva- 
nometer. He  cut  off  the  neck  of  a  small 
vial,  and  suspended  a  little  magnet  made 
from  a  bit  of  watch-spring  by  means  of  a 
fibre  of  silk  from  the  sides  of  the  vial. 
Having  stuck  a  minute  mirror  on  the 
magnet,  when  this  vial  was  placed  horizon- 
tally in  a  little  coil  of  wire,  the  magnet 
pointed  north  and  south,  and  the  coil  was 
moved  until  the  magnet  was  parallel  to  the 
face  of  the  coil.  Then  the  end  of  the  vial 
was  covered  with  thin  glass  to  keep  out 


The  Electrical-  Boy.  203 

currents  of  air;  lamp-light  from  a  small 
hole  in  a  blackened  lamp  chimney  was  al- 
lowed to  fall  on  the  tiny  mirror,  and  the 
reflection  of  this  light  was  caught  on  a 
ground-glass  screen.  The  slightest  cur- 
rent of  electricity  in  the  coil  made  the 
little  magnet  turn,  and  the  spot  of  light 
consequently  moved.  The  beam  of  light 
thus  served  as  a  long  pointer,  and  magni- 
fied the  movements  of  the  magnet.  With 
the  ends  of  the  coil  were  connected  lone 
wires  which  led  to  the  arrangement  with 
which  Dr.  Socrates  touched  his  patients. 
This  apparatus  was  simply  an  iron  wire 
about  a  foot  long.  To  each  end  of  this 
wire  were  soldered  the  copper  wires  which 
ran  to  the  galvanometer  coil.  When 
one  junction  of  the  iron  and  copper  was 
heated  by  the  human  skin,  a  current  of 
electricity  made  the  little  magnet  move  in 
one  direction  ;  and  when  the  other  junc- 
tion was  heated,  the  magnet  moved  in  the 


204  The  Electrical  Boy. 

opposite  direction.  It  was  the  heat  of  the 
skin  that  made  the  current ;  and  any  other 
source  of  heat,  for  instance  a  warm  piece 
of  brass  or  glass,  would  have  had  the  same 
effect. 

Greatthings  told  the  boy  that  the  galva- 
nometer stood  in  the  same  relation  to 
electricity  that  the  microscope  stood  to  the 
human  body.  The  latter  enabled  physi- 
cians to  see  microbes  and  bacilli  which 
were  the  germs  of  disease,  or  which  at 
least  could  affect  the  whole  human  ma- 
chine. The  galvanometer  could  detect 
minute  currents  of  electricity,  which  then 
could  be  multiplied  to  any  extent  by  the 
power  of  man.  He  showed  the  boy  how 
the  sensitiveness  of  the  galvanometer  could 
be  increased  by  placing  a  powerful  magnet 
above  and  outside  the  coil  of  wire.  The 
little  mao^net  inside  the  coil  of  wire  was 
thus  under  the  influence  both  of  the  north 
pole  of  the  earth  and  of  the  north  pole  of 


The  Electrical  Boy.  205 

the  magnet  above  the  coil,  and  was  in  un- 
stable equilibrium,  ready  to  move  with  the 
slightest  current  in  the  coil.  Greatthings 
manifested  a  real  enthusiasm  in  his  dis- 
pirited eyes  when  he  saw  the  working  of 
his  sensitive  galvanometer.  He  showed 
Richard  that  by  turning  a  large  coil  of 
wire  connecting  with  the  terminals  of  the 
coil  of  the  galvanometer,  in  the  air  of  the 
room  a  current  of  electricity  w-as  produced 
which  set  the  little  magnet  with  its  tiny 
mirror  to  swinging.  This  effect,  he  ex- 
plained to  Richard,  was  due  to  the  influence 
of  the  far  off  pole  of  the  earth,  in  Baffin's 
Bay,  thousands  of  miles  from  where  they 
stood.  To  Richard's  imagination  the  mag- 
netic pole  seemed  like  a  great  giant,  whose 
hands  were  stretched  over  the  whole  earth, 
playing  with  tremulous  hands  upon  the 
electric  wires.  This  giant  had  a  crown  of 
fire,  for  Greatthings  told  him  the  northern 
lights  flashed  about  the  north  pole. 


2o6  The  Electrical  Boy, 

The  manner  in  which  Dr.  Socrates  used 
the  galvanometer  was  as  follows  :  He  gave 
his  patients  a  shock  of  electricity  from  his 
medical  battery,  carefully  noting  which 
part  of  the  body  twitched  the  most  vigor- 
ously. He  entered  the  results  of  his  ob- 
servation in  an  immense  folio  volume, 
reminding  one,  as  he  did  this,  of  a  famous 
etching  of  Martin  Diirer.  He  then  ap- 
plied one  of  the  junctions  of  iron  and 
copper  to  the  neck  of  his  patient,  inform- 
ing the  latter  as  he  did  so  that  if  the  spot  of 
light  moved  to  the  right  the  right  lobe  of 
the  brain  was  congested,  and  if  it  moved 
to  the  left  there  was  trouble  in  the  left 
lobe.  Since  the  galvanometer  magnet 
generally  moved  either  to  the  right  or  left, 
the  gloomy  state  of  his  patients'  minds  can 
be  imao^ined.  Greatthinsfs  had  his  own 
views  about  Dr.  Socrates's  use  of  the  deli- 
cate instrument  he  had  enjoyed  making ; 
he  kept  them,  however,  to  himself.     Rich- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  207 

ard  noticed  that  the  indications  of  the  in- 
strument could  be  made  anything  that  was 
desired,  and  when  the  venerable  doctor 
was  away  located  a  particularly  congested 
spot  in  the  right  lobe  of  his  own  brain. 
Greatthings  advised  him  to  keep  at  work 
as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

Dr.  Socrates  had  acquired  also  a  great 
reputation  as  a  seer.  He  held  seances  in 
his  back  parlor,  which  was  darkened  for 
the  purpose.  These  seances  generally 
took  place  on  Saturday  nights,  and  were 
very  fully  attended. 

Greatthings  had  a  strong  belief  in  ghosts 
and  spirits,  and  was  much  interested  at 
first  in  the  singular  manifestations  he  saw 
at  these  seances.  Poor  little  Richard  was 
immensely  terrified  by  the  knocking  in  the 
dark  and  the  table-tipping. 

Directly  beneath  the  consulting-room  of 
Dr.  Socrates  was  a  workshop  where  were 
placed  the  batteries  that  set  in  operation 


2o8  TJie  Electrical  Boy. 

the  apparatus  for  giving  shocks  which  was 
employed  by  the  physician.  Through  a 
secret  door  one  could  gain  access  to  this 
lower  room  from  the  office. 

Dr.  Socrates  appeared  one  day  in  the 
workshop  with  various  peculiar  glass  tubes 
which  he  called  Geissler  tubes.  These 
were  mounted  at  the  end  of  a  wand,  in  the 
form  of  a  halo,  such  as  one  sees  in  pictures 
of  saints.  He  desired  Greatthings  to  con- 
nect these  tubes  to  the  terminals  of  an 
electrical  machine  while  he  studied  the 
light  which  appeared  in  the  tubes.  His 
study  appeared  to  satisfy  him,  and  he 
left  the  tubes  in  the  workshop,  desiring 
Greatthings  to  connect  them  with  long 
fine  wires,  and  to  see  if,  while  being  con- 
nected with  the  electrical  machine,  they 
would  glow  in  the  office  above.  The  old 
man  and  Richard  found,  after  much  ex- 
perimenting, that  the  mysterious  light  in 
the  tubes  could  be  faintly  seen  when  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  209 

room  was  made  very  dark.  The  wires, 
however,  which  led  to  the  ends  of  the 
glass  tubes  had  to  be  very  carefully  covered 
with  gutta-percha,  or  as  Greatthings  said, 
very  well  insulated,  for  the  electricity  es- 
caped. Greatthings  suggested  after  a  while 
that  they  should  employ  the  apparatus  used 
for  ffivinof  medical  shocks  instead  of  the 
electrical  machine.  The  old  physician 
seemed  to  be  surprised  at  this  suggestion ; 
but  he  told  Greatthings  to  experiment. 
The  old  man  tossed  his  head  with  con- 
tempt at  the  want  of  knowledge  of  such  a 
wise  man,  and  showed  him  that  if  the  glass 
tubes  were  connected  with  the  ends  of  a 
coil  of  a  great  many  turns  of  fine  wire,  and 
if  a  coil  of  a  few  turns  of  thick  wire  con- 
taining an  iron  core  were  placed  near  the 
fine  wire  coil,  and  a  battery  current  quickly 
sent  throuo^h  this  last  coil,  the  tubes  con- 
nected    with    the   fine    coil    would    glow. 

This    glow   could   be   carried    farther    by 
14 


2IO 


The  Electrical  Boy. 


this  use  of  the  medical  shocker  than  by 
the  employment  of  an  electrical  machine. 
Richard  perceived  that  the  apparatus  used 
by  Greatthings  was  the  same  which  he 
had  employed  to  transmit  signals  to  the 
gamblers. 

"  I  wonder  what  the  old  fellow  intends 
to  do  with  the  electrical  glow,"  muttered 
Greatthings,  as  he  led  suitable  wires  into 
the  physician's  office  from  the  room  below. 
*'  Cure  blindness,  perhaps." 

Richard  soon  ascertained  the  object  of 
the  electrical  glow  in  the 
mysterious  glass  tubes. 
Dr.  Socrates  instructed 
him  to  stretch  out  the 
wand  containing  the 
halo  in  certain  direc- 
tions just  below  the 
ceilinor  of  the  office.  A 
little  electrical  key  had 
been  placed  on  the  handle  of  the  wand,  by 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2 1 1 

means  of  which  the  boy  could  illumine  the 
glass  tubes  or  shut  off  the  glow  at  pleasure 
by  simply  touching  the  key  which  com- 
pleted an  electrical  circuit.  Then  the 
physician  darkened  his  office  until  not  the 
slightest  pinhole  of  light  could  be  seen,  — 
a  greater  degree  of  darkness  Richard  had 
never  experienced,  —  and  taught  the  boy 
to  repeat  the  motions  of  waving  the  halo. 
He  told  the  boy  that  he  wished  him  to 
move  the  wand  according  to  a  certain  set 
of  signals  which  were  given  by  slight 
knocks  under  a  table.  Richard  did  as 
he  was  bidden,  and  succeeded  to  the 
physician's  satisfaction. 

Dr.  Socrates  told  Richard  that  a  num- 
ber of  ladies  and  gentlemen  w^ould  be 
present  on  the  following  day  in  the  room 
in  the  darkness,  and  he  wished  him  to  go 
through  the  performance  of  waving  the 
wand  and  placing  it  in  various  positions 
according  to  the  arranged  signals. 


212  The  Electrical  Boy. 

When   Richard  told  Greatthingrs  of  the 

O 

rehearsal,  the  old  man  looked  very  grave, 
and  shook  his  head. 

At  the  appointed  hour  Richard  ascended 
the  secret  staircase  and  noiselessly  opened 
the  door.  His  place  had  been  carefully 
assigned  by  Dr.  Socrates,  and  he  had  been 
practised  in  entering  the  room  noiselessly. 
The  boy  was  conscious  by  a  strange  rust- 
ling and  nervous  hemming  of  throats  that 
there  were  people  in  the  room,  although 
the  darkness  was  impenetrable.  He  heard 
Dr.  Socrates  say  that  Mrs.  Brown's  spirit 
would  slowly  materialize ;  and  then  Rich- 
ard heard  three  raps,  and  he  pressed  the 
electrical  key,  and  the  mysterious  halo 
floated  over  the  heads  of  those  present. 
The  imagination  of  the  relatives  of  Mrs. 
Brown  framed  a  pale  face  under  the  halo, 
and  hysterical  cries  were  heard  in  the 
darkness.  Another  rap,  and  the  halo 
disappeared. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  213 

Two  members  of  a  psychical  society 
were  present,  and  after  the  performance 
wrote  out  a  very  full  account  of  the  phe- 
nomenon. Following  the  raps,  the  lam- 
bent mysterious  flames  floated  here  and 
there ;  rested  for  a  moment  on  the  head  of 
a  broker,  and  then  danced  to  that  of  a  re- 
porter. Now  the  latter  was  an  enterpris- 
ing young  man  in  search  of  an  item,  and 
what  could  be  a  more  moving  story  than 
the  tale  of  a  man  who  had  seized  a  ghost? 
Accordingly,  he  grasped  in  the  dark  at  the 
flame,  and  his  hands  closed  on  the  wand. 
He  received,  however,  a  severe  electrical 
shock  from  an  unseen  skeleton  arm,  and  he 
fell  down  in  a  fit  In  the  uproar  which 
succeeded  Richard  heard  the  sis^nal  for 
him  to  withdraw.  He  ran  down  the  dark 
staircase  in  a  state  of  great  excitement, 
and  told  Greatthins^s  of  the  remarks  of 
Dr.  Socrates,  and  the  strange  cries  and 
moanings  he  had  heard  in  the  darkness. 


214  "^^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

One  day  Dr.  Socrates  had  a  long  inter- 
view with  Greatthings  in  regard  to  pro- 
ducing an  electrical  glow  about  the  heads 
of  certain  ladies  who  frequented  the 
seances.  He  discoursed  learnedly  in  re- 
gard to  what  he  called  the  sick  sensitive 
nature  of  these  ladies,  and  the  necessity 
of  affecting  their  imagination  when  the 
true  spiritualistic  phenomena  failed  to 
appear.  The  old  man  listened,  with  his 
shaggy  brows  knitted  together  and  his 
eyes  resting  upon  the  ground.  He  sent 
Richard,  who  was  repairing  the  medical 
shocking-apparatus,  out  of  the  room  to 
look  after  some  electrical  batteries.  When 
the  boy  had  closed  the  door  the  old  man 
turned  to  the  venerable  physician  and 
said,  — 

"  Humbugs  cannot  hurt  me ;  I  am  old 
in  the  ways  of  the  world ;  but  I  shall 
not  aid  in  corrupting  that  boy.  I  want 
him  to  think  that  the  world   is  true  and 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2 1 5 

honest,  —  at  least  that  educated  and  ven- 
erable men  are." 

Dr.  Socrates  gazed  at  Greatthings  with 
a  singular  look  behind  his  dark  spectacles. 

"  So  you  refuse  to  do  my  bidding,"  said 
he,  in  a  strangely  altered  tone. 

George  Greatthings  started  at  the  sound 
of  that  voice,  and  a  cold  perspiration  came 
out.  Dr.  Socrates  had  arisen,  had  torn  off 
his  venerable  beard,  and  Augustus  Svvamm 
stood  before  Greatthings.  The  wretched 
old  man  staggered  to  the  wall  of  the  apart- 
ment, and  gazed  helplessly  at  Swamm. 

"  I  think  you  will  do  as  I  bid  you," 
remarked  Swamm,  with  his  basilisk 
smile. 

"  Shall  I  never  escape  you  ?  "  exclaimed 
the  old  man,  gasping  for  breath.  "  Is 
there  no  escape  for  me  except  in  the 
grave  t  " 

"  No  escape,  Greatthings,"  Swamm  re- 
plied, with   a  diabolical  smile,   "  except  a 


2i6  The  Electrical  Boy. 

committal  to  the  four  brick  walls  of  a 
prison." 

"  I  am  ready  to  go  to  prison,"  exclaimed 
Greatthings.  "  It  is  time  that  my  vain 
struggle  with  the  vvorld  should  be  over. 
I  have  tried  hard  to  be  an  honest  man, 
and  to  live  down  my  early  mistake  ;  but 
there  is  no  use  in  trying  longer.  I  shall 
not  aid  you  to  humbug  mankind  any 
longer.  Tell  all  you  know.  Go  out  for  a 
policeman." 

"  Fudge !  You  don't  mean  what  you 
say,  Greatthings.  We  two  shall  be  rich 
men  yet,  —  you  with  your  electrical  knowl- 
edge and  I  with  my  knowledge  of  the 
world.     Don't  be  a  fool,  Greatthings." 

At  that  moment  the  knock  of  the  at- 
tendant was  heard,  and  Swamm  quickly 
fastened  on  his  beard  and  raised  his  finger 
with  a  warning  gesture. 

Greatthings  left  the  room,  groaning  in 
bitterness  of   spirit.      It   was   useless,   he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2 1 7 

thought,  to  endeavor  to  retrieve  the  great 
mistake  of  his  Hfe.  Why  not  surrender 
himself  to  the  authorities,  confess  all,  and 
be  at  peace.  Four  brick  walls,  and  the 
steady,  monotonous  labor  of  a  prison, 
would  be  better  than  disreputable  work 
with  a  man  of  no  principle.  Why  should 
he  not  throw  off  this  old  man  of  the 
mountain  from  his  shoulders,  now  and 
henceforth  forever,  —  forever  to  be  relieved 
from  this  haunting  care.  The  thought 
was  like  a  dream  of  spring  in  winter. 
Then  the  thought  came  to  him  of  Richard 
Greatman.  The  boy  would  be  in  the 
clutches  of  Swamm  with  no  one  to  give 
him  the  results  of  experience.  His  life 
would  be  wrecked,  and  would  be  a  repeti- 
tion of  that  of  Greatthings. 

"  I  must  save  the  boy,  for  I  love  him," 
said  the  old  man.  "  I  know  what  it  is  not 
to  have  profited  by  the  experience  of  a 
father.     I  '11  be  a  father  to  the  lad  as  far 


2i8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

as  I  'm  able,  and  when  I  see  him  in  safe 
hands  I  shall  give  up  the  struggle  with 
life." 

The  old  man  immediately  went  into  the 
workshop,  where  he  found  Richard  busily 
at  work  on  batteries. 

"  Richard,"  said  Greatthings,  coming 
close  to  the  little  fellow  as  he  sat  on  a  tall 
stool,  busily  engaged  with  the  apparatus 
before  him,  "  do  you  remember  Mr.  Gres- 
ham,  the  handsome  young  man  who  used 
to  come  to  Swamm's  house  ? " 

"  I  remember  him  well,"  exclaimed  Rich- 
ard, looking  up  with  astonishment.  At 
that  very  moment  he  was  longing  to  see 
Gresham  again. 

"  I  wish  that  you  would  take  a  note  to 
him  from  me,"  said  the  old  man,  speaking 
with  emotion. 

"  Now  ? "  asked  Richard,  in  that  melo- 
dious voice  which  penetrated  to  the  heart 
of  the  old  man,  who  had  learned  to  love 


The  Electrical  Boy.  219 

the  boy  with  the  strong  love  that  some- 
times comes  iate  into  a  hard  human 
heart. 

"  Yes,"  repHed  Greatthings,  hastily  writ- 
ing upon  a  scrap  of  paper,  which  he  placed 
in  an  envelope,  and  directed. 


2  20  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER    XV.    . 

THE  RESCUE  OF  GREATMAN  AND  GREAT- 
THINGS. 

TTOW  the  old  man  knew  Gresham's 
address  puzzled  Richard  for  a  mo- 
ment.  He  took  the  note,  and  set  off  with 
the  high  hope  of  seeing  again  the  man 
who  was  his  ideal  hero.  So  much  of  the 
life  of  the  boy  had  been  spent  in  close 
confinement  that  the  great  city  seemed 
illimitable.  His  travels  had  been  limited 
to  a  small  portion  of  this  city,  and  he  felt 
like  an  explorer  venturing  into  new  worlds, 
as  he  followed  Greatthings's  directions  and 
turned  one  corner  after  another  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening.  His  way  led  from 
the  thickly  crowded  business  streets  into 


The  Electrical  Boy.  221 

the  fashionable  avenues  which  ran  along  the 
edges  of  the  park.  While  he  was  hurrying 
on  his  errand  a  closed  carriage  drove  rap- 
idly by  him.  The  horse  suddenly  fell  to 
the  ground  a  few  steps  in  advance  of 
Richard,  and  a  blue  light  seemed  to  dance 
over  its  prostrate  body.  A  crowd  soon 
gathered  about  the  carriage.  The  occu- 
pants were  an  elderly  lady  and  a  young 
girl.  In  the  latter  Richard  immediately 
recosfnized  the  child  who  had  o-iven  him 
the  money  on  the  evening  he  had  fallen 
asleep  with   his  newspapers. 

An  electric-lio;ht  wire  had  fallen  down 
and  the  horse  had  come  in  contact  with  it. 
The  crowd  stood  back  in  great  fear  and 
saw  the  animal  struggle  under  repeated 
shocks  from  the  dangling  wire.  No  one 
dared  to  release  the  beast  from  what 
seemed  to  be  a  deadly  serpent  striking 
its  fan^s  into  him. 

Richard  immediately  wrapped  his  hand 


222  The  Electrical  Boy. 

in  his  handkerchief,  and  seizing  the  wire, 
lifted  it  from  the  horse. 

"  You  will  be  kilt,  boy,"  exclaimed  an 
Irishman ;  "  drap  it,  man." 

The  other  members  of  the  crowd  mur- 
mured with  admiration  at  the  boy's 
courage,  and  made  an  effort  to  lift  the 
horse.  The  beast  slowly  opened  its  eyes, 
made  a  convulsive  attempt  to  rise,  and 
then  fell  back.  The  Irishman,  who  knew 
more  about  horses  than  electricity,  having 
had  a  lifetime's  experience  with  badly 
treated  tip-cart  beasts,  gave  the  bridle  an 
energetic  jerk  and  twisted  the  tail  of  the 
horse,  applying  his  boot ;  and  the  horse 
at  length  stood  on  his  feet,  trembling 
in  every  limb.  The  coachman  mounted 
his  box;  and  the  ladies  after  much  trepi- 
dation concluded  to  enter  the  carriaoe. 
When  it  was  found  that  the  horse  could 
move  on,  the  elderly  lady  beckoned  to 
Richard  and  thanked  him  for  his  presence 


The  Electi^ical  Boy,  223 

of  mind,  and  requested  to  know  his  name. 
When  he  gave  it  she  asked  him  to  call  at 
her  residence,  and  handed  the  boy  a  card. 
The  young  girl  thanked  Richard  also  with 
a  sweet  smile ;  the  carriage  moved  on ; 
and  the  wondering  crowd  were  left  with 
the  dangling  wire,  which  struck  its  fangs 
into  the  crowd  here  and  there  under  the 
experimental  kicks  of  the  Irishman,  who 
seemed  to  regard  it  as  a  dangerous  rival 
in  the  treatment  of  horses. 

Richard  looked  at  the  card,  and  found 
that  it  bore  the  address  of  Henry  Gres- 
ham,  which  Greatthings  had  given  him. 
The  boy  hastened  on,  led  quickly  by  the 
remembrance  of  the  sweet  women's  voices, 
which  touched  a  chord  in  his  heart,  and 
in  its  vibration  stirred  a  pathetic  memory 
within  him.  He  found  the  number  and 
mounted  the  great  steps,  and  after  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation  rang  the  bell.  When  the 
butler  appeared,  the   boy  handed  him  the 


2  24  The  Electrical  Boy. 

note.  Greatthings  had  told  him  to  wait 
for  an  answer.  Accordingly  the  servant 
ushered  the  boy  into  a  waiting-room  and 
disappeared  with  the  note. 

Henry  Gresham  was  listening  to  his 
mother's  and  sister's  accounts  of  their  acci- 
dent, when  Greatthings 's  note  was  delivered 
to  him.  He  opened  the  discolored  piece 
of  paper  and  slowly  deciphered  the  scrawl, 
which  ran  as  follows  :  — 

"  The  boy  who  will  give  you  this  once  was 
known  to  you  as  a  telegraph  boy.  You  praised 
him  for  his  quickness  and  intelligence,  and  you 
won  his  heart.  You  have  always  been  his 
idol  ;  he  has  worshipped  you  from  a  distance. 
I  want  you  to  help  to  bring  him  up  an  honest 
man.  This  will  be  a  small  matter  to  you ;  but 
it  will  result  in  saving  a  soul  alive.  Think  of 
that !  I  wish  to  save  the  boy  from  the  fate  of 
one  who  has  struggled  all  his  life  with  the  hard 
world,  and  finds  himself  in  his  old  age  homeless, 
and  at  the  mercy  of  one  who  proposes  to  use 
him  for  his  own  purposes,  and   then  doubtless 


The  Electrical  Boy.  225 

to  cast  him  off  to  shift  as  best  he  can.  The 
boy  is  a  bright,  affectionate  lad  with  good  stuff 
in  him,  and  you  will  never  regret  lending  him  a 
helpful  hand.  He  is  under  bad  influences 
where  I  am,  and  I  want  to  save  him  from  my 
fate.  Do  not  strive  to  see  me,  for  my  employer 
would  ruin  me  if  he  knew  what  I  have  written." 

"  What  a  singular  note  !  "  said  Gresham, 
turning  it  over  and  scanning  the  exterior. 
He  rang  for  a  servant,  and  ordered  him 
to  send  up  the  boy  who  was  waiting. 
When  Richard  appeared,  Henry  Gres- 
ham s  mother  and  sister  speedily  recognized 
Richard.  The  young  man  thanked  the 
boy  for  rescuing  the  ladies,  and  asked 
him  many  questions  in  regard  to  his  life 
and  surroundings.  Richard  told  him  of 
the  venerable  electrical  physician,  and  of 
Greatthings  and  his  remarkable  inventions. 
He  described  the  seances  held  by  Dr. 
Socrates,  and  his  electrical  practice.  The 
young  man  drew  his  own  inferences  from 


2  26  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the  story  of  the  boy,  and  resolved  to  go 
on  the  following  day  to  the  boy's  place 
of  employment  under  pretence  of  consult- 
ing the  old  physician.  Richard  refused  the 
sum  of  money  which  Gresham  offered 
him,  and  set  off  for  Dr.  Socrates's  office 
with  a  light  heart,  carrying  with  him  the 
consciousness  that  he  was  to  see  more  of 
Gresham,  and  feeling  a  delightful  glow  in 
his  heart  at  the  remembrances  of  the  en- 
comiums of  the  ladies  whom  he  had 
assisted. 

Greatthino^s  heard  Greatman's  account 
with  interest,  and  putting  his  hand  on 
the  boy's  shoulder  said, — 

"  It 's  working  well,  lad.  I  hope  to  see 
you  rising  in  the  world.  It  can  be  done, 
I  suppose,  although  it  has  never  been 
possible  for  me." 

Early  on  the  following  day,  Gresham 
appeared  at  Dr.  Socrates's  office,  and  took 
his    place    among    those    waiting    to     be 


The  Electrical  Boy.  227 

treated.  There  were  many  before  him, 
and  he  accordingly  asked  the  attendant 
where  he  could  find  Richard  Greatman. 
The  attendant  took  him  into  a  lower 
room,  and  there  sat  Greatthings  and  Rich- 
ard busily  occupied  in  repairing  an  electri- 
cal machine  which  Dr.  Socrates  employed 
to  stimulate  the  growth  of  the  hair  on 
the  heads  of  bald  persons. 

Richard  immediately  arose  when  he  saw 
Gresham,  and  turning  to  Greatthings  said, 
"  This  is  the  gentleman  to  whom  you 
sent    the    note." 

Greatthings  looked  disturbed  as  he 
caught  sight  of  the  visitor.  Henry 
Gresham,  noticing  his  embarrassment  and 
trepidation,  said, — 

"  I  have  come  to  consult  Dr.  Socrates 
for  an  ailment  which  perhaps  his  electrical 
treatment  can  relieve.  While  I  wait  my 
turn,  I  wish  to  have  a  few  moments'  con- 
versation with  you." 


2  28  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Greatthings  looked  earnestly  at  the  open 
face  of  the  young  man,  and  having  care- 
fully closed  the  door  of  the  room,  came 
close  to  Gresham  and  said,  speaking 
quickly, — 

"  I  am  in  " —  with  a  jerk  of  the  shaggy 
head  upward  —  "  his  power.  He  can  ruin 
me  by  a  word  ;  and  he  is  capable  of  doing 
it,  for  he  is  a  wicked  man.  I  want  you  to 
save  the  boy  from  his  clutches.  Richard 
Greatman  is  a  good  chap  now,  and  I 
know  that  you  are  an  idol  to  him.  You 
can  save  a  soul  alive  if  you  get  him  out 
of  this  man's  clutches.  Never  mind  me, 
I  cannot  be  saved  from  a  mistake  I  made 
years  ago." 

The  old  man  spoke  with  great  intensity, 
for  he  heard  the  footsteps  of  the  attendant 
descending  the  stairs  to  say  that  Gresham's 
turn  had  come  to  enter  the  doctor's  office. 

Gresham  offered  Greatthings  his  hand, 
pressed  it  as  if  to  say, "  I  shall  be  discreet," 


The  Electrical  Boy.  229 

and  mounted  the  stairs.  The  waltinof- 
room  was  still  full  of  patients,  and  the 
young  man  had  to  almost  force  his  way 
to  the  doctor's  door.  When  he  entered 
Dr.  Socrates  was  busily  engaged  in  con- 
sulting an  immense  volume.  Gresham 
thought  that  he  had  never  seen  a  more 
venerable  man.  Was  it  not  possible  that 
the  shaggy-headed  old  man  in  the  work- 
shop was  a  demented  person  ?  The  young 
man  resolved,  however,  to  be  very  cautious. 
Auo:ustus  Swamm  started  when  he 
recognized  Gresham.  His  colored  glas- 
ses and  his  great  beard,  however,  com- 
pletely shielded  him  from  observation. 
Slight  things  however  betray  a  man's  per- 
sonality to  a  quick  human  eye.  Swamm, 
like  all  dishonest  persons,  was  like  the 
ostrich,  which  thinks  it  is  concealed  when 
it  buries  its  head  in  the  sands.  In  asking 
Gresham  questions  in  regard  to  the  lat- 
ter's  pretended  ailment,  Swamm  used  the 


230  The  Electrical  Boy, 

word  "  that "  often,  and  always  pronounced 
it  "  thet."  Gresham  had  always  noticed 
this  peculiarity.  He  started  when  he 
heard  this  pronunciation,  and  his  eyes 
immediately  rested  on  the  venerable  physi- 
cian's ears.  Now  Swamm's  ears  had  a 
peculiar  convolution,  and  the  young  man 
had  often  studied  the  ears,  for  it  was  his 
firm  belief  that  this  feature  afforded  a 
better  method  of  recognizing  men  than 
even  photographs.  The  ears  of  one  per- 
son are  never  like  those  of  another.  The 
conviction  flashed  upon  Gresham  that 
Augustus  Swamm  the  gambler  stood 
before  him. 

"  How  did  this  '  nervous  prostration ' 
thet  you  speak  of  come  on.?"  asked  Dr. 
Socrates,  preparing  to  enter  the  answer  of 
the  patient   in  a  book. 

"  I  noticed  it  in  playing  cards,"  replied 
Gresham,  watching  the  venerable  physi- 
cian  narrowly.     "  The  trouble   must  have 


The  Electrical  Boy.  231 

been  a  mental  one,  for  I  imagined  that  my 
opponents  could  see  the  cards  in  my 
hands." 

"  Nervous  prostration,"  said  Dr.  Socra- 
tes, "  is  often  accompanied  and  even  pre- 
ceded by  hallucinations.  I  wish  to  see 
which  lobe  of  your  brain  has  a  preponder- 
ating electrical  influence  on  your  nervous 
organization."  Thus  saying,  he  desired 
Gresham  to  sit  down  before  the  galvanom- 
eter and  watch  the  spot  of  light  while  he 
passed  the  little  junction  about  the  base  of 
the  brain.  Gresham  did  as  he  was  desired, 
and  wondered  as  he  saw  the  spot  of  light 
dance  to  the  left,  how  much  sense  and 
how  much  nonsense  there  was  in  Swamm's 
proceedings.  Dr.  Socrates  gave  the  young 
man  a  learned  discourse  upon  this  ex- 
tremely scientific  method  of  discovering 
which  lobe  of  the  brain  was  congested,  and 
the  young  man  smiled  to  himself  as  he 
listened.      Truly   this   was   an    interesting 


232  The  Electrical  Boy, 

and  talented  villain.  The  spot  having 
moved  to  the  left,  and  the  doctor  having 
entered  the  result  with  an  air  of  great 
wisdom  in  his  notebook,  Gresham  was 
told  to  put  his  hand  on  a  planchette,  or 
delicately  balanced  board  which  could 
move  readily  over  a  piece  of  blackened 
paper  in  any  direction.  The  doctor  ex- 
plained to  him  that  he  was  going  to  give 
him  a  slight  shock  of  electricity  and  see 
how  his  arm  and  fino^ers  moved  under  the 
effect  of  the  stimulus;  by  this  experiment 
he  could  still  further  determine  the  seat 
of  the  affection  in  the  brain.  Gresham 
accordingly  took  his  seat  as  he  was  di- 
rected, and  after  his  hand  was  carefully 
adjusted,  Dr.  Socrates  turned  on  the  cur- 
rent. The  young  man,  however,  did  not 
feel  the  slightest  effect.  Then  the  doctor 
turned  on  more  current,  and  again  without 
result. 

"  Perhaps    you    are    remarkably    imper- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  233 

vious  to  electricity,"  said  Dr.  Socrates, 
greatly  surprised.  "  Let  me  take  your  seat 
and  examine  the  connections."  Every- 
thing seemed  to  be  satisfactory,  and  he  di- 
rected Gresham  to  make  the  connection. 
Greatthings  was  in  the  room  below,  lis- 
tening to  the  interview  between  Gresham 
and  Swamm.  He  had  always  wished  to 
get  Swamm  between  the  poles  of  a  strong 
induction  coil,  and  now  the  opportunity 
seemed  to  be  presented  to  him.  He  had 
turned  off  the  battery  from  the  primary  of 
the  induction  coil  when  he  heard  Gresham 
take  his  seat  in  the  chair.  When,  how- 
ever, Swamm  took  the  relinquished  seat, 
he  turned  on  the  full  force  of  the  current. 
A  heavy  fall  was  heard  in  the  room  above, 
and  Greatthings  laughed  diabolically  in 
the  room  below.  Gresham  made  haste  to 
pick  up  the  venerable  physician,  whose 
limbs  seemed  to  be  rejuvenated  by  elec- 
tricity.    The   doctor  hobbled  to  his  note 


2  34  ^/^^  Electrical  Boy. 

book  with  his  beard  twitching  vigorously, 
and  speaking  with  effort,  made  the  follow- 
ing entry :  "  Remarkable  case  of  non-sen- 
sitiveness to  strong  electrical  stimuli." 

"Are  there  any  other  such  cases  on 
record  ?  "  asked  Gresham. 

Dr.  Socrates  went  to  his  book-case 
and  took  down  an  immense  volume,  and 
proceeded  to  read  an  account  of  a  pro- 
fessor who  could  take  the  discharge  from 
two  great  Leyden  jars  charged  to  their 
full  capacity. 

The  doctor  also  read  a  note  from  the 
projector  of  a  street  railway,  who  amused 
himself  by  putting  his  hands  on  the  poles 
of  a  dynamo  which  ran  his  electrical  cars. 

"  Your  case,  however,"  said  the  doctor, 
"  is  more  remarkable  than  any  on  record, 
for  it  is  accompanied  by  an  abnormal  pol- 
arization of  the  cuticle." 

Dr.  Socrates  then  gave  the  young  man 
a  magnet  which  he  was  to  bind  upon  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  235 

base  of  his  brain  when  he  went  to  bed, 
told  him  to  sleep  with  his  head  to  the  east, 
and  requested  him  to  call  on  the  following 
day. 

Henry  Gresham  went  out  of  the  doc- 
tor's consultinsr-room  with  an  increased 
knowledge  of  the  world  and  with  no  cor- 
responding acquaintance  with  the  laws  of 
electricity.  It  was  certainly  very  odd  that 
Swamm  should  have  received  such  a  se- 
vere shock  from  wires  that  were  apparently 
uncharo^ed  and  dead.  Could  it  be  that  the 
man  was  a  consummate  actor } 

When  the  young  man  passed  through 
the  corridor  he  was  met  by  George  Great- 
thines.  "  Send  Richard  to  me  as  soon  as 
possible,"  whispered  Gresham,  "  I  know 
Swamm." 

George's  eyes  gleamed  with  triumph, 
and  he  disappeared  into  the  shop  in  the 
basement. 

Gresham  walked  home  in  deep  thought, 


236  The  ElecUdcal  Boy. 

thinking  of  his  own  unfettered  life  and  of 
his  great  opportunities,  and  contrasting 
his  lot  with  that  of  this  strange  workman 
and  his  protege  Richard  Greatman.  He 
resolved  to  act  quickly  this  time  and  lend 
the  boy  a  helping  hand.  Too  well  he  re- 
membered the  shock  he  received  when  on 
tracing  the  energetic  bright-faced  newsboy 
to  Smiles  s  old  tenement  he  met  his  cofifin. 
By  dint  of  much  questioning  he  learned 
the  particulars  of  the  boy's  sickness,  and 
the  story  of  Richard's  grief.  The  wretch- 
edness of  the  life  of  the  street  Arabs  came 
upon  him  with  full  force,  and  he  resolved 
to  better  their  condition  by  every  means  in 
his  power.  To  this  end  he  became  inter- 
ested in  a  model  newsboys'  tenement,  and 
the  life  that  had  been  formerly  devoted 
chiefly  to  his  own  amusement  became  one 
of  incessant  zeal  and  activity.  How  hu- 
miliating the  past  seemed  !  —  especially 
those  hours  spent  in  the  company  of  other 


The  Elcct7'ical  Boy.  237 

young  men  in  Swamm's  toils.  The  great 
fire  had  disclosed  the  arrangements  of  the 
gambler,  for  it  had  spared  the  walls  and 
flooring  along  which  ran  the  wires  which 
were  employed  to  convey  secret  intelli- 
gence. This  small  boy,  Richard  Great- 
man,  could  reveal  much,  and  Gresham 
was  glad  that  his  whereabouts  had  at  last 
been  discovered. 

In  the  evening  Richard  again  presented 
himself,  and  Gresham  was  soon  in  pos- 
session of  the  story  of  Swamm's  machina- 
tions. The  boy  told  the  story  of  his  own 
life  as  we  have  given  it  to  the  reader. 

"  Are  you  willing  to  go  to  the  West  with 
me  next  week  ?  "  asked  Gresham. 

The  boy's  eyes  gleamed.  He  remem- 
bered the  descriptions  of  the  giant,  and 
he  clapped  his  hands  together  with  delight. 
Then  a  cloud  came  over  his  expressive 
face,  and  he  said, — 

"  I    cannot   leave    Mr.  Greatthings ;  he 


238  The  Electrical  Boy. 

has  been  very  kind  to  me.  He  is  growing 
old,  and  will  need  some  one  to  work  for 
him  and  support  him." 

"  By  Jove,  he  shall  go  with  us,  Richard," 
exclaimed  Gresham,  delighted  with  the 
boy's  loyalty.  "  Don't  say  anything  to 
him  ;  I  shall  arrange  everything." 

Richard  hurried  back  to  Greatthings 
with  a  great  sense  of  happiness.  The 
world  was  beginning  to  be  a  very  interest- 
ing place.  Was  it  possible  that  he  should 
see  the  scenes  that  the  giant  described,  — 
mountains  with  snow;  immense  trees; 
great  rivers  that  ran  through  stone  walls 
thousands  of  feet  high  ;  and  Indians,  —  oh, 
it  was  too  much  to  believe. 

Henry  Gresham  told  his  mother  and 
sister  of  his  adventures,  and  of  his  inten- 
tion to  take  Richard  Greatman  and  the  old 
man  to  the  West,  to  aid  him  in  the  elec- 
trical plant  he  proposed  to  put  into  a  mine 
which  had  been  lately  bequeathed  to  him. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  239 

Gresham  laid  his  plans  very  carefully  for 
the  release  of  Greatthings  from  the  toils  of 
Swamm.  Richard  was  the  messenger  be- 
tween the  two  men  ;  and  Greatthings,  filled 
with  a  great  hope,  unburdened  the  mystery 
of  his  past  to  Gresham,  in  misspelled  notes 
scrawled  evidently  under  the  stress  of  great 
emotion.  The  time  had  come  when  the 
old  man  felt  compelled  to  take  a  human 
beinor  into  his  confidence.  If  Gresham 
had  not  come  upon  the  stage,  Greatthings 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  surrender  him- 
self to  the  police,  and  thus  escape  Swamm 

• 

and  his  dishonest  practices.  Nothing  had 
restrained  him  but  the  fear  of  leaving  the 
boy  under  the  influences  of  the  man  who 
had  proved  an  evil  genius  to  one  strug- 
gling life.  Gresham  thus  became  the  re- 
cipient of  the  carefully  guarded  secret  of 
a  man's  crime.  What  should  he  do } 
Should  he  betray  the  confidence  of  the 
broken-down   and   penitent   creature,  and 


240  The  Electrical  Boy. 

surrender  him  to  the  police  to  expiate 
an  ofifence  committed  years  ago,  —  an  of- 
fence which  had  been  committed  partly 
through  ignorance  and  partly  through  bad 
influences  in  the  man's  youth  ?  Should  he 
be  the  means  of  shutting  up  in  prison 
those  busy  hands  that  had  struggled  for 
years  to  perfect  inventions  ?  No ;  he 
would  give  the  old  man  another  chance, 
free  from  all  the  influences  of  the  past. 
The  devotion  of  Greatthings  to  Richard 
Greatman,  and  the  loyalty  of  the  latter 
to  the  old  man,  decided  Gresham. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  241 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

A    NEW    LIFE    FOR    GREATMAN    AND    GREAT- 
THINGS. 

/^NE    night    Richard    and    Greatthings 

^^^     left    the  abode  of  Dr.  Socrates  and 

hastily    made    their    way    to    the    railroad 

station,  where  they  were  joined  by  Gres- 

ham,  and  they  were  soon  whirling  out  of 

the  great  city  on  their  way  to  the  West. 

Gresham  was  astonished  to  see  the  effect 

of  a  great  hope  on  his  companions.     The 

man  whom  he  had  regarded  as  old  became 

more  erect.     The  shaggy  locks  and  beard 

had  been  cut,  and  the  dull  look  in  the  eyes 

had   given    place    to    a   look    of   courage. 

The  man  was  not  old.    He  had  been  bent 

like   Sinbad  the  sailor  by  the  load  of  an 

old  man  of  the  mountain.     Gresham  could 
16 


242  The  Electrical  Boy. 

hear  Greatthings  humming  a  song  under 
his  breath,  and  the  young  man  thought 
of  a  description  in  an  Eastern  legend,  of 
the  burdens  falHng  from  a  beggar's  back, 
on  his  entrance  into  paradise. 

Richard  had  never  been  on  a  railroad 
train,  and  his  expressive  countenance  was 
a  study  to  Gresham,  who  gazed  at  him 
over  the  corner  of  his  newspaper  as  the 
trio  sat  in  the  luxurious  Pullman.  At 
every  unusual  sound  the  boy  looked  at 
Gresham,  and  seeing  his  smile,  smiled  in 
return,  and  settled  himself  for  the  next 
new  sensation. 

The  low  suburbs  of  the  great  city  sped  by 
them.  The  noisome  quarter  where  Rich- 
ard had  spent  his  wretched  boyhood,  and 
from  which  he  had  endeavored  to  escape 
on  the  electric  wires  to  join  his  mother, 
was  beneath  the  window,  below  the  great 
bridge.  Could  it  be  that  the  mother  was 
guiding  her  boy  still  into  new  paths,  away 


The  Electrical  Boy.  243 

from  the  wretchedness  and  haunts  of  pov- 
erty and  sin  ?  Those  last  words,  "  no  fight- 
ins;,  no  drinkino;,"  had  never  ceased  to  stir 
in  the  mind  of  the  boy. 

As  the  great  cities  flashed  by  in  the 
night,  Richard  looked  out  of  the  car 
windows  wrapped  in  thought.  A  new 
future  seemed  to  be  opening  before  him, 
and  the  miserable  past  would  soon  be  only 
a  dream,  —  a  dream  glorified  by  one  hero, 
Henry  Gresham,  and  the  face  of  a  young 
girl  who  gazed  at  his  shabby  little  figure 
with  an  angel-like  pity  in  her  beautiful 
eyes. 

Greatthings  had  made  extensive  prepa- 
rations for  his  western  journey.  He  had 
provided  himself  with  a  revolver  and  a 
large  dirk  knife  ;  a  felt  hat  with  a  partic- 
ularly large  brim ;  and  a  leather  belt  with 
various  pouches  and  compartments. 

Before  leaving  the  dime  museum  he 
had  carefully  destroyed  his  models  of  his 


244  '^^^^  Electrical  Boy, 

new  flying-macliine.  The  perfection  of  this 
should  be  left  to  the  future,  when  ampler 
means  would  give  him  the  opportunity  to 
finish  it.  He,  however,  took  with  him  a 
very  essential  part  of  the  machine.  This 
was  a  storage  battery,  which  ran  the  elec- 
tric motor  of  the  fiying-machine,  so  light 
and  compact  that  it  could  be  put  in  his 
coat-pocket.  He  carefully  charged  it  for 
many  hours  by  means  of  the  electric-light 
current  which  was  supplied  to  the  mu- 
seum, for  it  might  be  useful  in  that  strange 
country  to  which  he  was  going. 

In  the  poorly  lighted  trains  which  car- 
ried them  over  vast  stretches  of  country 
east  of  the  loo"'  meridian,  Greatthings 
found  his  storage  battery  a  great  conve- 
nience. He  hooked  a  little  incandescent 
lamp  on  his  spectacles,  and  on  touching  a 
button  lighted  up  his  new^spaper,  much  to 
the  surprise  and  consternation  of  some  In- 
dians on   the   train  who  had  ventured   to 


The  Electrical  Boy.  245 

take  a  ride.  The  storage  battery,  however, 
was  destined  to  play  a  more  important 
part  in  the  journey.  In  crossing  a  deso- 
late tract  of  country  in  western  Texas, 
two  men  with  masks  suddenly  appeared, 
one  at  each  end  of  the  car,  and  ordered  the 
passengers  to  throw  up  their  hands,  at  the 
same  time  pointing  loaded  revolvers  at 
them.  A  o-ans:  of  train  robbers  had  boarded 
tlie  train,  knowing  that  there  were  valuable 
packages  in  the  express  compartment. 
The  train  came  to  a  stop,  and  the  passen- 
gers sat  still,  for  they  knew  it  was  useless 
to  make  any  resistance  to  the  desperate 
characters  in  whose  power  they  were. 
Presently  the  robbers  withdrew,  and  the 
passengers,  fearing  that  the  engineer  of  the 
train  had  been  foully  dealt  with,  proceeded 
to  the  engine.  They  discovered  that  the 
express  compartment  had  been  broken 
open  and  the  messenger,  who  had  made  a 
valiant  resistance,  shot,  and  the  robbers  had 


246  The  Electrical  Boy. 

ridden  away  on  the  engine.  Greattbings 
immediately  suggested  that  Richard  should 
take  his  storage  battery,  climb  up  a  neigh- 
boring telegraph  pole,  cut  the  wire,  and 
connect  one  end  of  the  cut  wire  with  one 
pole  of  the  battery,  and  make  and  break 
connections  between  the  remaining  cut 
end  of  the  telegrapli  wire  and  the  other 
pole  of  the  battery,  and  in  this  way  tele- 
graph to  the  station  of  the  important  town, 
some  fifty  miles  away,  for  another  engine. 
Greatman  immediately  followed  the  sug- 
gestion of  Greatthings.  It  was  an  easy 
matter  for  him  to  telegraph.  The  only 
difficulty  he  encountered  was  in  the  tre- 
mendous current  which  Greatthings's  stor- 
age battery  gave.  The  latter,  perceiving 
the  boy's  difficulty,  tossed  a  bit  of  wire  to 
him,  telling  him  to  place  it  between  the 
poles  of  the  battery  and  thus  shunt,  or 
divert,  a  portion  of  the  current  into  the 
cell,  and  allow  a  smaller   current  to  pro- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  247 

ceed  over  the  line.  Richard  did  as  he 
was  directed,  and  telegraphed  for  an 
engine ;  and  gave  also  a  description  of 
the  robbers,  which  was  furnished  by  the 
bystanders. 

Then  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  wait 
and  see  if  the  mysterious  electrical  message 
would  bring  a  response.  The  night  wore 
on,  and  toward  morning  the  loud  whistle 
of  an  approaching  engine  was  heard.  The 
boy's  telegram  had  been  receiv^ed,  and  the 
Indians  looked  with  greater  awe  than  ever 
at  Greatthings  and"  his  mysterious  little 
package  which  gave  light  and  also  had 
spoken  over  the  wires. 

The  engineer  of  the  engine  which  soon 
rolled  up  to  the  train  informed  the  passen- 
gers that  a  number  of  suspicious  men  who 
entered  the  town  late  at  night  had  been 
arrested,  and  valuable  packages  had  been 
found  on  them.  It  was  discovered  that 
they  had  abandoned  the  engine  some  dis- 


248  The  Electrical  Boy, 

tance  from  the  settlements,  and  had  then 
proceeded  on  foot. 

The  dangers  of  railroad  travelling  shortly 
gave  way  to  those  which  might  be  encoun- 
tered in  proceeding  on  horseback,  over 
mesas  and  mountain  passes.  Fortunately 
the  party  escaped  all  perils,  and  finally  ar- 
rived at  their  remote  destination  in  Arizona. 

The  first  week  in  the  mining  camp  was 
a  busy  one.  Gresham  found  everything 
badly  conducted.  The  foreman  at  the 
mine  spent  most  of  his  time  in  drinking, 
and  the  Mexican  workmen  disappeared 
now  and  then  with  the  horses  and  stores 
which  belonged  to  the  mine.  Occasion- 
ally strolling  Indians  added  to  the  de- 
moralization of  the  camp.  Richard  Great- 
man  soon  learned  to  ride  a  mustang  and 
to  fire  a  rifle.  He  was  of  great  service  to 
Henry  Gresham,  who  often  despatched 
him  with  important  messages  to  prosjDect- 
ing  parties  in  the   canyons. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  249 

To  a  boy  accustomed  to  the  luxuries 
of  civilization,  the  sombre  mountains  bare 
of  trees,  the  lower  stretches  of  arid  plains, 
with  patches  of  mesquit,  the  great  canyons, 
the  walls  of  which  seemed  ready  to  fall 
upon  the  greedy  seekers  after  silver,  and 
only  waited  their  opportunity,  would  have 
seemed  desolate  in  the  extreme.  Richard 
often  walked  up  and  down  in  the  moonlight 
when  the  rest  of  the  camp  were  asleep,  and 
saw  the  bright  stars  scale  the  frowning 
cliffs,  and  noted  the  photographic  sharp- 
ness of  the  shadows  of  the  cactus  fronds 
against  the  rocks,  heard  the  howl  of  a 
distant  wolf  answered  by  the  Mexican 
camp-dogs,  and  felt  a  strange  sense  of 
exultation. 

Gresham,  too,  felt  a  new  life  rise  within 
him.  There  was  room  for  all  his  powers 
of  organization.  The  mine  had  great 
capabilities,  but  it  had  been  very  badly 
managed.    Although  there  was  abundance 


250  The  Electrical  Boy. 

of  water-power,  no  use  had  been  made  of  it, 
and  all  the  operations  of  mining  had  been 
carried  on  by  man-power  assisted  by  mules. 
Gresham  speedily  saw  that  by  the  con- 
struction of  a  short  piece  of  electrical  rail- 
way the  ore  could  be  carried  up  steep  in- 
clines and  through  places  inaccessible  to 
men  and  mules,  thus  shortening  long  de- 
tours through  the  cliffs.  Power  could 
also  be  transmitted  by  electricity  to  ore 
crushers.  He  talked  over  his  plans  with 
Richard,  who  found  to  his  delight  that  he 
could  set  his  friend  aright  in  regard  to 
many  electrical  devices. 

Electrical  machinery  was  ordered  from 
New  Orleans,  and  in  two  months'  time  the 
electrical  railway  was  conveying  packages 
of  ore  over  the  cliffs  and  yawning  gorges 
out  of  the  mine.  Richard  worked  steadily 
with  the  men  who  set  up  the  dynamo 
machine  near  the  water-power,  and  fol- 
lowed every  operation  of  taking  the  elec- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  251 

tricity  from  this  dynamo  which  was  run  by 
water-power,  to  the  motors  in  the  little 
cars  which  carried  the  ore  to  the  main 
camp. 

"  You  will  need  all  that  you  may  learn," 
said  Greatthings  to  Richard.  "  I  don't 
believe  much  in  these  thieving  Mexicans 
about  here.  Mr.  Gresham  will  have 
trouble  yet  with  them.  They  have  con- 
siderable respect,  however,  for  lightning, 
and  I  reckon  won't  care  to  meddle  with 
the  mysterious  wires  we  are  putting  up. 
If  I  were  Mr.  Gresham  I  would  manage  to 
give  'em  all  a  small  shock  to  keep  a  lively 
sense  of  suthin's  being  round." 

Richard  remembered  the  great  dynamos 
of  the  central  station,  where  he  had  spent 
the  evening  with  Greatthings,  and  from 
which  they  were  driven  into  the  streets. 
At  the  mine  he  saw  a  machine  set 
up,  which  consisted  of  large  horseshoe- 
shaped  masses  of  iron  around  which  coils 


252  The  Electrical  Boy. 

of  wire  were  wound.  The  ends  of  these 
wires  were  connected  by  long  wires  with 
copper  brushes  which  rubbed  against  me- 
tallic segments  on  the  axle  that  carried 
what  were  called  the  armature  coils. 
These  segments  were  connected  in  turn 
with  the  coils  on  the  armature,  so  that 
the  electrical  current  started  by  the  quick 
movement  of  the  armature  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  iron  was  sent  around  this 
iron  and  increased  its  magnetism.  Then 
the  armature  revolved  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  stronger  magnetic  iron,  and  sent 
forth  stronger  electrical  currents. 

"  It 's  like  an  old  man  with  a  lot  of 
sons,"  said  Greatthings.  "  The  old  man 
works  hard  and  gets  a  little  capital  and 
lets  it  out  to  his  sons,  and  they  make  more 
and  give  it  to  the  old  man,  who  increases 
it  and  sends  the  boys  out  with  more. 
Sometimes  the  boys  lose  all  the  old  man 
gets  —  that 's  the   case  when   there  's  bad 


The  Electrical  Boy.  253 

insulation  in  the  electrical  wires  on  these 
masses  of  iron,  and  the  electricity,  like  the 
money,  leaks  away." 

Durino;  the  hard  labor  of  the  installation 
of  the  electrical  apparatus  for  moving  the 
electrical  cars  the  lounging  Mexicans  and 
half-breed  Indians  looked  on  with  lazy 
interest. 

Greatthings  often  felt  annoyed  at  the 
presence  of  so  much  idle  humanity.  "  How 
men  can  do  so  much  sitting  round  under 
red  blankets  is  a  mystery,"  he  said.  "  I 
wish  I  could  get  some  electricity  into 
them." 

One  tall  Indian,  who  was  considered  a 
great  shot  with  the  rifle,  especially  pro- 
voked Greatthings's  animosity,  and  he 
determined  to  "take  him  down,"  as  he  ex- 
pressed it  to   Richard. 

One  nio;ht  Greatthinsfs  and  Richard  led 
two  wires  from  the  electric  railway  to  the 
top   of  a  crag,    connected    them    at  their 


2  54  "^^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

ends  by  a  bit  of  fine  platinum  wire  which 
was  coiled  about  a  dynamite  cartridge. 
The  wire  and  the  cartridge  were  carefully 
buried. 

"  Now,"  said  Greatthings,  "  we  will  put 
a  bottle  over  the  cartridge,  and  invite  the 
Indians  to  fire  at  it.  It  is  at  least  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  camp,  and  even  old 
Long  Tom  can't  hit  it.  Then  I  '11  borrow 
his  rifle,  and  at  the  instant  I  fire,  you,  Rich- 
ard, will  throw  the  electric  current  on ;  it 
will  burn  the  platinum  wire  and  explode 
the  cartridge,  and  the  bottle  will  fly  to 
pieces.  Those  Injuns  will  want  to  make 
me  their  chief  after  that.  Havvkeye  Great- 
things  would  sound  well,  would  n't  it?  " 

When  the  camp  was  resting  during  the 
sultry  hours  of  the  day,  Greatthings  in- 
vited them  to  a  test  of  sharp-shooting. 
At  first  a  mark  was  placed  at  four  hundred 
feet.  In  the  contest  Long  Tom  easily 
came  off  victor.      Then  Greatthings  pro- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  255 

posed  as  a  mark  the  bottle  placed  on  the 
crag  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  The 
Indians  grunted  forth  a  dissent,  and  the 
Mexicans  looked  at  Greatthings  as  if  he 
liad  lost  his  mind.  Long  Toni  squatted 
down  and  offered  his  rifle  with  a  lordly 
gesture  to  Greatthings,  as  if  to  say,  "  I 
cannot  do  it ;  perhaps  you  can." 

Greatthings  took  the  rifle  and  carefully 
sighted  along  the  barrel.  Then  he  fired, 
and  the  bottle  flew  into  a  thousand  pieces  ; 
for  Richard  had  connected,  at  the  instant 
he  heard  the  report,  the  electrical  wires  to 
the  dynamo.  Long  Tom  disappeared  for 
a  time  from  the  camp,  and  the  other 
Indians  and  the  Mexicans  regarded  Great- 
things  with  great  respect. 


256  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

GREATTHINGS    IS    OFFERED    A    HIGH    POSITION. 

1\/IEAN WHILE  Henry  Gresham  saw 
an  active  future  opening  before  him. 
The  former  club-life  no  longer  had  any 
attractions  ;  and  in  the  incessant  activity 
of  his  western  life  he  asked  himself  often : 
"  Is  it  possible  that  I  once  said  to  myself, 
on  risincr  in  the  mornino-,  How  can  I  best 
enjoy  myself  to-day?  How  can  I  most 
surely  kill  time? — glorious  young  time 
that  stood  like  a  knight  in  resplendent 
armor  between  me  and  a  disappointed  old 
age,  only  too  ready  to  seize  in  an  octopus- 
like embrace  the  luxurious  and  dissipated 
man  of  pleasure.  Time  and  I  now  go 
forth  together  to  conquer.  Instead  of 
desiring  to  kill  time,   I  love  time." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  257 

In  his  letters  to  his  mother  he  described 
Richard's  Hfe  among  the  Indians  and  Mex- 
icans, —  the  exuberant  life  of  a  starved 
little  boy  who  had  suddenly  been  given  his 
liberty.  He  told  of  the  wild  ride  of  the 
boy  to  the  Mexican  village  one  stormy 
night  to  find  a  valuable  packet  of  letters 
w^hich  Gresham  had  lost  while  visiting  the 
town;  how  he  himself  had  ridden  after  the 
boy,  and  how  when  they  had  met,  Richard 
rushed  into  his  outstretched  arms  with  the 
package.     He  thus  continued  :  — 

"  The  mystery  of  the  origin  of  electricity 
is  great,  and  its  future  influence  on  the 
world  is  probably  greater  than  the  mind 
of  man  can  conceive ;  but  there  is  a  more 
powerful  force  always  working  mysteriously 
in  the  world,  capable  of  transforming  the 
whole  earth  if  men  would  seriously  study 
it,  and  that  force  is  love.  I  have  seen  its 
wonderful  working  on  the  old  man  Great- 
things.  This  man  had  become  hardened 
17 


258  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  callous  through  the  rude  buffeting  he 
had  received  in  the  struggle  for  existence 
I  am  afraid  he  had  even  become  a  criminal; 
but  the  contact  with  a  generous  and  pure- 
hearted  boy  has  acted  like  the  beautiful 
flower  in  the  prison  wall  upon  the  convict. 

"  I  love  the  little  fellow,"  concluded 
Gresham.  "  He  would  lay  his  life  down 
for  me." 

Henry  Gresham  found  Richard  of  de- 
cided help  in  the  electrical  devices  of  the 
mine.  Greatthings  told  him  that  the  boy 
grasped  quickly  the  electrical  methods 
which  had  been  introduced,  and  that  he 
was  fully  capable  of  running  the  electrical 
railroad,  or  superintending  the  electrical 
firing  of  dynamite  cartridges,  which  wer^ 
used  in  blasting. 

In  the  rush  and  excitement  of  the  west- 
ern life  there  was  little  time  for  reading 
or  study.  Henry  Gresham  gave  Richard 
some  of  Cooper's  novels  to  read.     He  was 


The  Electrical  Boy.  259 

amused  to  find  that  the  boy  preferred  a 
book  on  electricity  which  he  also  gave 
him.  '"- 

Richard,  when  he  heard  the  various 
stories  of  the  Indians'  outbreaks,  could  not 
help  drawing  a  parallel  between  the  edu- 
cation of  the  street  Arab  and  that  of  the 
Indian  in  distrust.  Both  are  to  a  certain 
extent  children  of  nature,  and  like  shep- 
herd doQ-s  when  once  beaten  or  ill-treated 
become  unmanageable. 

"  I  don't  see  any  heroes  among  these 
Indians  around  the  camp,"  said  he  one  day^ 
in  a  slight  tone  of  disappointment. 

Greatthings  smiled  cynically.  "  I  read 
Cooper's  novels  when  I  was  a  boy,"  said  he, 
"  and  thought  that  Chingachgook  was  a 
real  character.  Look  at  these  vagabonds 
sitting  under  their  blankets,  for  all  the 
world  like  poisonous  lizards.  Do  you  see 
any  Chingachgooks  among  them  1  I  wish 
I  could  clear  the  earth  of  them." 


26o  The  Electrical  Boy. 

"  You  have  thunderbolts  at  your  com- 
mand," said  Gresham,  with  a  laugh. 

"  Thunderbolts  haaie  n't  been  doing  the 
proper  thing  up  in  these  mountains,"  re- 
plied Greatthings,  reaching  out  his  long 
arms  with  an  emphatic  shout  as  he  saw  an 
Indian  pushing  aside  one  of  his  electrical 
wires. 

"  Richard,"  said  Greatthings  one  even- 
ing, "  we  must  really  clear  this  camp  of 
these  Indians.  It  must  be  done,  or  we 
can't  be  called  men.  The  thing  to  do  is 
to  frighten  them  off  by  electricity."  Great- 
things  then  proceeded  to  lay  some  wires 
to  different  spots  in  the  camp.  One  of 
these  wires,  which  was  thickly  covered  with 
gutta-percha,  he  laid  underground  to  the 
neighborhood  of  a  pile  of  rocks.  At  the 
end  of  the  wire  he  placed  a  little  metallic 
plate.  He  then  ran  a  similar  wire  also 
underground  to  the  pile  of  rocks,  and 
brought    the  end    up   carefully  concealed 


The  Electrical  Boy.  261 

in  the  debris.  Then  he  nailed  a  thick 
piece  of  copper  on  one  heel  of  his  boot, 
and  connected  this  by  a  stout  copper  wire 
which  ran  up  the  inside  of  his  tall  boot 
into  his  trouser  leg  and  terminated  in  a 
metallic  buckle  in  his  leather  belt.  He 
connected  the  wires  at  one  end  to  the  dy- 
namo machine ;  and  taking  an  iron  rod  he 
planted  his  boot  on  the  metal  plate  in  the 
ground,  and  resting  the  end  of  the  iron  rod 
against  the  metallic  buckle  extended  the 
rod  until  it  touched  the  rock  where  the 
other  end  of  the  wire  was  resting.  In  an 
instant  a  dazzling  light  burst  forth  on  the 
surface  of  the  rock. 

"  There  s  going  to  be  an  exodus  when 
they  see  me  do  that,"  remarked  Great- 
things,  grimly.  "  That 's  experiment  num- 
ber one.'* 

Greatthings  then  led  two  other  wires  to 
another  pile  of  rocks,  against  which  a  num- 
ber of  Indians  usually  reclined.    He  placed 


262  The  Electrical  Boy. 

a  number  of  brioht  coils  of  German  silver 
wire  on  both  ends  of  the  wires  and  left 
them  dangling  against  the  side  of  the 
rock,  carefully  separated  from  each  other. 
The  other  ends  of  these  wires  were  con- 
nected with  his  shocker,  which  was  similar 
to  that  used  by  Swamm,  and  by  means 
of  which  Richard  sent  messages  to  the 
gambler.  Not  satisfied  with  these  prep- 
arations, Greatthings  left  similar  coils 
hanging  against  a  tree  to  which  the  most 
mischievous  Indian  usually  hitched  his 
vicious  mustang,  —  an  animal  that  was 
always  letting  his  heels  fly  at  all  near 
comers. 

"  There,"  said  Greatthings,  surveying  his 
preparations  with  satisfaction,  "  I  reckon 
there  11  be  some  quick  movements  any 
way.  If  that  animal  happens  to  brush 
up  against  those  coils,  as  she  is  very  likely 
to  do,  she  will  be  more  facile  than  ever 
with  her  ofi  hind  foot.'' 


The  Electrical  Boy.  263 

On  the  next  day  Greatthings  saw  the 
usual  group  of  lazy  Indians  and  Mexicans 
come  into  camp.  He  pretended  to  haggle 
with  them  over  the  price  of  some  of  their 
mustangs.  After  a  while  he  seemed  to 
get  angry,  and  told  them  he  was  a  great 
chief,  and  they  had  better  be  careful  how 
they  dealt  with  him.  With  that  he  ex- 
tended the  rod  and  touched  the  rock.  The 
Indians  shrank  back  in  terror  as  they  saw 
the  dazzling  furious  electric  light  dart  from 
the  rock.  Then  the  Indians,  who  had  been 
surreptitiously  endeavoring  to  steal  the 
bright  coils  of  wire,  set  up  a  howl  of 
agony,  for  the  shocker  had  been  thrown 
on.  They  rushed  with  blankets  outflying 
to  their  mustangs ;  all  mounted  and  fled 
save  the  mischievous  young  Indian  to 
whom  the  vicious  mustang  belonged.  This 
animal  had  brushed  against  the  coils  as 
Greatthings  hoped  it  would,  and  had  also 
received  a  shock.     It  kicked  furiously  first 


264  The  Electrical  Boy. 

to  the  right  and  then  to  the  left,  and 
tugged  at  its  lariat.  Notwithstanding  its 
motions  the  Indian  succeeded  in  throwing 
himself  upon  its  back,  and  darted  after  his 
companions,  the  mustang  every  now  and 
then  flinging  out  its  heels  to  the  right  and 
then  to  the  left  at  the  memory  of  the 
shock. 

"  Now  we  've  got  a  right  smart  chance 
to  do  some  work  and  take  our  eyes  off  our 
valuables,"  remarked  Greatthings. 

Gresham  laughed  at  the  enterprise  of 
Greatthings  in  clearing  the  camp  of  Indi- 
ans ;  but  he  said  he  did  not  fear  Indians 
so  much  as  Mexicans.  In  truth  the  coun- 
try was  very  unsettled,  and  there  was  con- 
stant danger  of  the  trains  of  pack-mules 
which  carried  the  ore  from  the  mines  to  the 
despatching  station  being  waylaid  and  the 
ore  stolen.  The  men  who  accompanied 
the  pack-mules  were  heavily  armed,  and 
great  precautions  were  taken   against  sur 


The  Ekctj'ical  Boy  265 

prises.  The  mining  property  owned  by 
Gresham  extended  for  several  miles  into 
the  mountains.  The  vein  of  ore  which 
was  being  worked  ran  at  the  base  of 
some  foot-hills,  and  the  stream  which  af- 
forded water-power  flowed  through  a  deep 
canyon. 

Gresham  resolved  to  make  a  thor- 
ough survey  of  his  property  and  of  the 
surrounding^  countrv  in  order  to  ascertain 
the  extent  of  the  mineral  deposits.  Occa- 
sionally Greatthings  and  Richard  set  forth 
on  prospecting  tours.  Greatthings  had  a 
natural  talent  for  finding  minerals.  He 
remarked  in  regard  to  himself  that  he  was 
a  walking  conundrum,  for  he  always  had  a 
pocket  full  of  rocks  and  yet  was  a  poor 
man.  Perhaps  it  was  not  merely  a  love  for 
finding  gold  and  silver  ore  that  attracted 
the  workman  into  the  weird,  black,  and 
desolate  mountains.  There  was  a  charm 
in  the  sunsets  and  sunrises,  in   the  fresh 


266  The  Ekctrical  Boy. 

morning  air,  —  an  indescribable  charm 
which  can  be  appreciated  by  all  who  have 
climbed  mountain-summits. 

On  these  prospecting  tours  Greatthings 
and  Richard  went  fully  armed,  and  never 
ventured  more  than  a  day  and  night  from 
headquarters.  If  they  were  overtaken  by 
night  they  built  a  fire  and  took  turns  in 
sleeping  and  watching. 

Often  the  trail  led  through  narrow  gorges 
which  at  night  were  intensely  dark.  Great- 
things,  with  the  intensely  practical  mind 
which  characterized  him,  had  provided  him- 
self with  a  pot  of  phosphorescent  paint, 
and  he  marked  the  dark  trail  with  it.  In 
the  bright  daylight  this  paint  absorbed  the 
blue  and  violet  rays  of  light,  transforming 
them  into  molecular  vibrations.  At  night 
these  vibrations  made  the  stones  which 
were  painted  glow  with  a  mysterious  light 
which  easily  marked  the  trail.  Occasion- 
ally Greatthings  painted  skeletons  on  the 


The  Elcch'ical  Boy.  267 

walls  of  rock  with  thunderbolts  darting 
from  their  bony  hands.  These  were  in- 
tended, he  said,  for  Indian  object-lessons 
on  the  kindergarten  plan. 

One  day  they  discovered  a  rich  outcrop 
of  ore  in  a  little  valley.  Night  came  on 
before  they  finished  their  examination  of 
the  locality.  They  were  not  far  from  camp 
in  a  straight  line;  but  it  was  necessary  to 
make  a  long  detour  to  avoid  a  deep  canyon 
in  order  to  reach  it,  and  they  resolved  to 
spend  the  night  in  the  valley  and  to  prose- 
cute their  search  in  the  early  morning. 
Richard  took  the  first  turn  at  watching. 
They  built  no  fire,  in  order  to  escape 
observation  from  any  straggling  band  of 
Indians,  and  spread  their  blankets  in  a 
nook  of  rocks  which  was  protected  from 
attack  behind.  Richard  sat  with  his  rifle 
across  his  lap,  and  watched  the  stars  rise 
over  the  range  of  cliffs  to  the  east  and 
slowly  disappear  behind  the  range  to  the 


268  The  Electrical  Boy. 

west.  He  heard  mysterious  sounds  in 
the  hills,  and  these,  too,  disappeared  like 
the  stars,  and  were  followed  by  the  sound 
of  low  moaning  winds.  There  was  great 
confidence  in  the  knowledge  that  his  re- 
peating rifle  carried  sixteen  cartridges,  and 
that  Greatthings's  rifle  carried  the  same 
number.  Toward  the  end  of  the  first 
watch  Richard  thought  he  saw  distant 
figures  on  the  edge  of  the  high  cliff  which 
rose  against  the  western  sky.  The  moon 
had  risen,  and  the  stony  battlements  began 
to  lose  their  deep  sombre  hue,  and  to  ap- 
pear silvery.  Richard  concluded  at  length 
that  the  figures  were  illuminated  points  of 
rock  which  lost  their  prominence  when 
the  shadow  of  the  eastern  wall  sank  lower 
and  the  moon  rose  higher.  The  distant 
call  must  have  been  that  of  some  wild 
animal  in  the  depths  of  the  mountain. 
Presently  it  was  Greatthings's  turn  to 
watch.     Richard  had  hard  work  to  awaken 


The  Electrical  Boy.  269 

his  tired  companion.  Then  the  small  boy 
covered  himself  with  a  blanket  and  fell  in- 
stantly to  sleep.  So  they  spent  the  night 
in  alternate  watches. 

In  the  early  morning  Greatthings  and 
Richard  found  that  all  the  paths  leading 
from  the  mountain  nook  where  they  had 
spent  the  night  were  guarded  by  Indians. 
Lons:  Tom,  the  craunt  old  Indian  who  had 
been  defeated  in  long  distance  shooting  by 
Greatthings,  advanced  with  great  gravity, 
accompanied  by  several  other  Indians,  one 
of  whom  spoke  English.  The  interpreter 
told  Greatthings  that  the  chief,  Long 
Tom,  wished  to  make  a  proposition  to 
the  dealer  in  lightning  and  thunderbolts. 
Greatthings  cast  a  hasty  glance  around 
him,  and  saw  that  he  was  in  a  trap.  He 
noticed,  however,  that  the  Indians  stood 
at  a  respectful  distance.  He  made  a 
motion  as  if  to  touch  the  rocky  cliff,  and 
the   Indians  shrank  together. 


270  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Greatthin2;s  soon  ascertained  throusfb 
the  interpreter  that  the  tribe  wished  to 
make  him  their  chief.  LonQ-  Tom  was 
old  and  feeble,  and  wished  to  abdicate 
in  favor  of  one  who  could  draw  licrhtnino; 
from  the  rocks,  send  messages  over  the 
hills  without  horses,  and  shoot  further  than 
the  most  powerful  rifle.  Long  Tom, 
squatting  on  the  ground,  told  in  a  strange 
guttural  tone  of  the  past  glory  of  the  tribe, 
of  its  contests  with  the  Mexicans,  of  its 
strong  men.  Then  he  spoke  of  the  mere 
handful  of  which  the  tribe  now  consisted, 
of  its  inability  to  protect  itself  against  the 
stran2:ers  who  were  comins:  in  to  s:et  their 
gold  and  to  finally  drive  the  tribe  farther 
and  farther  into  the  desolate  mountains, 
where  nothing  but  starvation  awaited 
them.  The  white  liojhtnino^  chief  could 
change  all  this.  He  could  restore  the 
tribe  to  its  former  proud  position,  and  regain 
the  rich  fields  in  the  valleys  now  held  by 


The  Electrical  Boy.  271 

the  Mexicans  and  ranchmen.  In  return 
for  this,  besides  the  glory  of  being  chief, 
the  lightning  man  should  have  plenty  of 
gold  and  silver. 

Greatthings's  long  arms  worked  up  and 
down,  and  his  face  twitched  with  the 
humor  of  the  situation.  It  was  well,  how- 
ever, to  make  getting  home  sure,  and  also 
to  ascertain  more  about  that  gold  and 
silver. 

The  old  chief  at  length  ceased  to  speak, 
although  his  lips  continued  to  mutter  as  if 
he  were  repeating  records  of  the  former 
grandeur  of  the  tribe, 

Greatthings,  in  turn,  told  him  that  he 
felt  the  honor  which  they  wished  to  confer 
on  him  greatly,  and  that  he  hated  the 
Mexicans  cordially,  and  could  drive  them 
out  with  thunderbolts,  no  doubt.  He 
would  like  to  feel  sure,  however,  that  the 
tribe  had  gold  and  silver  in  return.  The 
old  chief  waved  his  hand.     Thereupon  an 


2/2  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Indian  brought  forward  a  magnificent  nug- 
get of  gold.  Greatthings's  eyes  sparkled 
as  he  saw  it.  He  was  sure  that  there  w^as 
more  gold  where  that  was  found. 

The  old  chief  said  that  there  was  a  cav- 
ern full  of  it,  guarded,  however,  by  evil 
spirits  which  breathed  forth  an  air  fatal 
to  man  and  beast.  The  secret  of  entering 
the  cavern  was  known  only  to  the  chief 
of  the  tribe,  and  w^ould  be  imparted  only 
to  the  next  chief. 

Greatthings  asked  to  be  shown  the  en- 
trance to  the  cavern.  To  his  surprise  the 
Indian  chief  did  not  object,  and  motioned 
his  followers  on.  The  party  winding  among 
the  rocks  came  finally  to  a  desolate  nook 
in  the  mountains.  In  front  of  a  small  dark 
opening  were  strewn  bleached  skeletons  of 
small  animals.  The  old  chief  ordered  an 
Indian  to  bring  forward  a  wretched  dog 
that  was  in  the  party.  A  rope  was  tied  to 
the  dog  and  he  was  forced  into  the  hole 


TJie  Electrical  Boy.  273 

in  the  rocks.  A  noise  was  heard,  as  if 
of  something  drowning,  and  the  dog  was 
drawn  forth.  His  skin  was  dry;  he  had 
not  been  in  water;  but  he  was  suffocated 
and  dead. 

"  No  man  or  beast  can  enter  the  cave," 
said  the  old  chief ;  "  but  there  is  gold  there, 
and  a  chief  can  get  it.  Behold!"  and  he 
caused  the  nugget  to  be  brought  forward 
asfain.  Greatthins^s  looked  around  him. 
The  place  was  a  natural  mountain-fastness, 
and  apparently  the  home  of  the  remnant 
of  the  tribe. 

Greatthings  told  the  old  chief  that  he 
should  like  to  consider  the  proposition, 
and  if  the  chief  and  his  councillors  would 
come  to  the  mining-camp  on  the  follow- 
ing morning  he  would  give  a  definite 
answer.  The  old  chief  heard  him  in  si- 
lence, and  then  grasped  his  hand,  as  if 
trusting  himself  to  the  honor  of  one  more 
powerful  than  himself. 
18 


2  74  TJic  Elccti'ical  Boy 

"  It 's  kinder  pathetic,"  said  Greatthings 
in  an  undertone  to  Richard,  "  but  we  are 
f^oinsf  to  have  that  gold  mine." 

The  old  chief  spoke  of  impending  mis- 
fortune to  the  tribe  almost  in  the  tones  of 
a  prophet.  He  wished  that  Richard 
Greatman  should  also  be  enrolled  in  the 
tribe  as  a  second  lightning-man. 

After  a  long  talk,  in  which  Greatthings 
endeavored  to  obtain  more  definite  infor- 
mation in  regard  to  the  curious  opening  in 
the  rock,  whence  proceeded  the  poisonous 
emanation  which  protected  the  treasure 
inside  the  mountain,  the  old  chief  showed 
a  number  of  braves,  painted  hideously  and 
armed  to  the  teeth,  and  then  delegated  two 
Indians  to  escort  Greatthings  and  Richard 
back  to  the  camp. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  275 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


A    DISCOVERY    BY    MEANS    OF    ELECTRICITY. 


1 


^HE  Indians  took  Richard  and  Great- 
things  by  tortuous  paths  farther  into 
the  mountains.  Greatthings  soon  ascer- 
tained that  having  given  him  a  suspi- 
cion of  the  wealth  concealed  in  the  hills, 
they  did  not  intend  that  he  and  Richard 
should  return  to  the  camp  alive,  unless  as 
chiefs  ready  to  drive  out  all  interlopers, 
Gresham  included. 

"  There  's  no  help  for  it,"  said  Great- 
things  in  a  whisper  to  Richard ;  "  I  must 
consent  to  be  their  chief.  Our  only  chance 
is  in  signalling  to  the  camp." 

When  Greatthings  indicated  that  he 
was  ready  to  be  installed  as  chief,  the  In- 


276  The  Electrical  Boy. 

dians  formed  a  ring  about  him  and  began 
to  chant  a  long  account  of  the  deeds  of 
their  ancestors.  Greatthings  took  a  torch 
from  the  camp-fire,  made  a  command- 
ing gesture,  struck  the  side  of  the  rock 
near  him  with  it,  and  handed  it  to  Richard, 
whispering,  "  Make  mysterious  motions 
with  it  as  if  striking  fire  from  the  cliff; 
manage  so  that  they  can  see  it  down  in 
the  camp ;  it  is  our  only  chance." 

The  Indians  grunted  forth  an  approval 
of  Greatthings's  gestures,  which  doubtless 
indicated  to  them  the  intention  on  his  part 
to  use  his  electrical  powers  in  behalf  of 
the  tribe.  Meanwhile  Richard  signalled 
in  front  and  behind  a  rock  to  the  camp  far 
down  the  gorge. 

He  said  to  himself,  "  Why  should  I  not 
telegraph  with  the  light  .-^  Some  one  at  the 
camp  may  recognize  the  signals."  The  In- 
dians saw  Richard  apparently  confirm 
Greatthings's    intentions  by  motions  with 


The  Electrical  Boy.  277 

the  torch,  and  proceeded  with  their  rites 
and  incantations. 

They  danced,  shouting  and  gesticulat- 
ing, about  Greatthings.  The  Indians  who 
squatted  upon  the  ground  encouraged  the 
dancers  by  wild  exclamations,  and  one  by 
one  arose  and  joined  the  wild  circle  of 
leaping  savages.  Occasionally  one  of  the 
dancers  would  fall  in  a  fit  and  foam  at  the 
mouth;  the  others  seemed  to  be  driven  fran- 
tic by  this  sight,  and  the  whirl  of  the  dance 
grew  more  furious.  Greatthings  was 
afraid  that  he  would  be  torn  to  pieces  in 
the  Indians'  frenzy.  He  had  heard  of  sav- 
ages working  themselves  to  such  a  point 
of  excitement  that  they  had  fallen  upon 
one  another.  In  truth  these  emotional 
religious  dances  had  become  so  serious 
that  the  Government  had  resolved  to  sup- 
press them   by  force. 

Greatthings  was  now  covered  with  a  coat 
of  paint,  and  his  Id'ng  hair  cut  until  only  a 


278  The  Electrical  Boy. 

tuft  remained.  He  was  given  a  head-dress 
of  feathers,  and  compelled  to  drink  a  nause- 
ating draught,  which  was  stirred  with  the 
talon  of  an  eagle.  Then  all  the  warriors 
drank  from  the  same  bowl.  The  rites  and 
incantations  were  then  repeated  with  Rich- 
ard Greatman.  The  bowl  contained  a 
fiery  liquor  which  seemed  to  stupefy  all, 
and  toward  midnight  the  Indians  were 
nodding  around  the  camp-fire.  Great- 
things  looked  keenly  about  him  for  a 
chance  to  escape,  but  he  felt  that  it 
would  be  certain  death  to  attempt  to  break 
through  the  guards,  who  he  was  sure 
were  on  the  watch ;  moreover,  how  could 
he  save  Richard  Greatman }  Greatthings 
might  make  a  bold  rush  for  liberty,  but  the 
boy  would  be  sacrificed.  Meanwhile  Rich- 
ard could  not  communicate  the  intelli- 
gence to  Greatthings  that  his  signals  had 
been  seen  and  recognized  by  some  one  in 
the  mining  camp,  for  they  had  been  sepa- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  279 

rated,  and  assigned  to  different  portions  of 
the  rocky  plateau  on  which  was  the  rude 
encampment  of  the  tribe. 

Shortly  before  sunrise  a  volley  of  shots 
was  heard.  One  of  the  warriors  near 
Greatthinsfs  rolled  head  foremost  into  the 
camp-fire.  Greatthings  seized  a  rifle. 
Then  came  another  volley.  The  Indians 
ran  hither  and  thither  in  confusion,  and 
sousfht  the  fastnesses  amons^  the  rocks. 
Richard  and  Greatthino^s  reco2:nized  the 
voices  of  Gresham  and  his  followers, 
and  turned  their  rifles  also  upon  the 
retreating  Indians.  A  few  scattering 
shots  came  in  return.  The  Indians,  how- 
ever, seemed  to  melt  away,  and  when 
Gresham  and  his  men  called  from  their 
concealment,  Greatthings  and  Richard 
found  no  one  to  oppose  them.  The  res- 
cuers and  the  rescued  remained  in  the 
shelter  of  the  rocks  until  the  gray  morn- 
ing light  appeared  between  the  pinnacles 


28o  The  Electrical  Boy. 

of  rock  in  the  east.  They  were  afraid  to 
venture  out  to  assist  the  Indian  who  had 
been  shot,  and  who  groaned  at  the  side  of 
the  camp-fire,  lest  they  should  be  picked 
off  by  some  Indian  sharpshooter.  As  the 
morning  light  increased  Gresham  and  his 
party  cautiously  surveyed  the  ground. 
There  were  no  Indians  to  be  seen.  He  ac- 
cordingly ordered  the  wounded  Indian  to 
be  carried  by  two  of  his  strongest  miners, 
while  the  rest  of  the  men  with  their  rifles 
ready  for  instant  use,  some  in  advance 
and  some  behind,  guarded  the  party  back 
to  the  camp. 

The  wounded  Indian  was  carefully 
nursed  by  one  of  the  miners,  who  had  had 
experience  in  caring  for  gunshot  wounds. 

Gresham  pondered  over  the  story  told 
by  Greatthings  of  the  curious  cave  with 
the  poisonous  air,  and  the  legend  of  the 
Indian  chief  in  relation  to  the  treasure  of 
gold.     He  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  281 

poisonous  air  was  carbonic  acid  gas, 
which  might  be  generated  among  the 
rocks,  for  the  region  had  once  been 
volcanic.  While  he  talked  one  day  with 
Greatthings  about  the  poisonous  cave  and 
told  him  of  the  nature  of  carbonic  acid 
gas,  —  how  heavy  it  was,  and  how  it  sank 
to  the  bottom  of  wells  and  caves,  and  pre- 
vented the  breathing  of  man  and  beast, — • 
Greatthings  remained  for  a  long  time  in 
deep  meditation.  At  length  he  jumped 
up  and  exclaimed,  "  I  have  it !  I  have  it ! 
We  will  force  out  the  carbonic  acid  gas 
with  a  blower,  and  explore  the  cave." 

"  How  can  you  get  power  for  a  blower 
in  that  mountain  fastness,"  exclaimed 
Gresham. 

"  By  means  of  electricity,"  replied  Great- 
things. 

The  electrician  then  proceeded  to  explain 
his  plan.  He  proposed  to  run  two  wires 
from  the  dynamo  at  the  camp  to  the  mouth 


282  The  Electrical  Boy. 

of  the  cave.  The  wires  could  be  raised 
over  the  face  of  the  great  cliffs,  and  run  in 
almost  a  straight  line,  avoiding  the  long 
detours  among  the  rocks.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  cave  a  small  dynamo  or  electrical 
motor  similar  to  those  used  on  the  electri- 
cal railway  might  be  placed,  and  the  wires 
connected  with  this.  The  currents  of 
electricity  from  the  central  dynamo  at  the 
camp  could  turn  the  dynamo  at  the  mine, 
and  a  blower  or  fan  could  be  made  to  re- 
volve in  the  opening  of  the  cave,  and 
thus  draw  out  the  poisonous  carbonic 
acid  gas.  The  plan  seemed  perfectly 
feasible  to  Gresham ;  and  armed  with  full 
permission,  Greatthings  set  about  the  en- 
terprise in  great  glee.  He  immediately 
constituted  Richard  Greatman  his  chief 
assistant. 

Before  many  days  the  necessary  copper 
wire  and  the  fan  arrived  from  New  Or- 
leans, and  Greatthings  set  to  work  to  place 


The  Elatrical  Boy.  283 

the   wire  and  the  machinery.      The    men 
were  carefully  guarded,  and  the  work  was 
pushed  forward  with  the  greatest  celerity. 
In  order  to  lift  the  wire  up  the  faces  of  the 
cliffs,  a  string  was    attached    to   the  wire 
and  then  to  an  arrow,  and  the  arrow  shot 
upward  to  the  party  on  the  cliffs.     Then 
the  end  of  the  wire  was   drawn  up  by  the 
string.      During   the    prosecution    of    the 
work  nothing  was  seen  of  the  Indian  tribe. 
The  dark  and  bare  mountains  showed  no 
form  of  life  save  now  and  then  a  soaring 
bird  or  a  lizard.     Great  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced   in    placing    the    electrical    ma- 
chinery at  the  mouth   of  the   pit,  for  the 
poisonous  gas  came  forth  at  times  in  great 
volumes   and   rolled  down   the    little    nar- 
row valley  between  the  crags,   which    the 
wounded    Indian   at  the  camp    told  them 
was  called  the*  vale  of  death. 

At    length    the   machinery    was    set    in 
operation,  and   the   fan  began  to  revolve. 


284  The  ElectiHcal  Boy. 

After  a  while  a  candle  was  lowered  into 
the  opening  of  the  cave ;  it  was  seen  to  go 
out.  Gresham  said  that  carbonic  acid  gas 
was  still  there  in  great  quantity.  In  an 
hour  more  the  same  experiment  was  tried. 
The  candle  no  longer  went  out.  The  ex- 
periment was  succeeding.  Gresham  or- 
dered the  fan  to  run  all  night.  In  the 
morning  electric  lights  were  placed  be- 
tween the  ends  of  the  wires  in  place  of  the 
dynamo  which  had  been  turning  the  fan. 
Gresham  and  Greatthings  made  their  way 
into  the  cave,  accompanied  by  Richard 
Greatman,  who  held  an  electric  lamp  in 
his  hand. 

The  opening  of  the  cave  was  choked 
with  fallen  rocks  and  skeletons  of  animals. 
A  cry  of  horror  escaped  Gresham  when  he 
felt  a  human  skull  slip  under  his  feet  on 
the  floor  of  the  tunnel.  The  glow  of  the 
electric  lamp  showed  many  other  skulls 
and    crumblinor    skeletons.     Gresham    re- 


The  Electrical  Boy,  285 

membered  to  have  read  accounts  of  dis- 
coveries of  caverns  filled  with  remains  of 
cave-dwellers,  who  inhabited  holes  in  the 
mountains  long  before  the  times  of  Alfred 
the  Great  or  Charlemagne.  This  was  ap- 
parently one  of  these  caves.  ' 
Greatthings  choked  in  the  dust  of  the 
cave.  He  suggested  that  they  had  hit  on 
the  burial-place  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel. 
Gresham  looked  around.  These  skeletons 
were  contorted,  as  if  the  beings  to  whom 
they  once  had  belonged  had  died  in  ago- 
nies. There  were  spears  and  other  weapons 
near  the  skeletons,  and  strange  breast- 
plates and  ornaments  resting  on  the  moul- 
dering bones.  The  men  pushed  their  way 
farther  into  the  cave.  Gresham  lisfhted  a 
candle  in  order  to  be  sure  that  the  car- 
bonic acid  gas  was  not  stealthily  filling  the 
cavern  again.  The  candle  still  burned 
brightly.  It  was  thought  best,  however, 
to  send   Richard   back  to  connect  the  fan 


286  The  Electrical  Boy. 

to  the  dynamo  in  order  that  the  gas  might 
not  overpower  them  in  the  cave.  When 
Richard  returned  he  found  Henry  Grcs- 
ham  and  Greatthings  lost  in  wonder  at 
the  sight  which  met  their  eyes.  They 
were  in  a  large  central  cavern,  in  one  cor- 
ner of  which  was  a  deep  pool.  From  the 
surface  of  this,  great  bubbles  of  gas  con- 
tinually arose.  On  a  rocky  platform  near 
the  pool  were  arranged  a  number  of  what 
appeared  to  be  tombs.  Gresham  pried 
open  the  stony  covering  of  one  of  these, 
and  saw  within  a  mouldering  fabric  richly 
ornamented  with  gold ;  beneath  this  were 
traces  of  bones,  beside  which  were  curious 
vessels,  also  of  gold. 

"  We  have  discovered  the  burial-place  of 
the  early  rulers  of  the  country/'  said 
Gresham,  with  wonder.  "  Doubtless  they 
selected  this  cavern  in  order  that  the  ac- 
cumulations of  poisonous  gas  should  pre- 
vent the  rifling  of  their  tombs." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  287 

"  I  do  n't  see  how  the  funeral  procession 
got  in  here,"  remarked  Richard. 

"  The  ebullition  of  the  gas  may  be  peri- 
odical ;  possibly  the  times  of  safety  may 
have  been  known  to  the  high  priests  of 
the  time,"  said  Gresham. 

Gresham  continued  his  investigation, 
and  obtained  more  proof  of  tlie  truth  of 
his  surmise,  that  this  cavern  had  been  a 
secret  burial-place  of  ancient  rulers.  The 
numerous  skeletons  in  the  narrow  passage 
were  evidently  those  of  would-be  robbers, 
who  had  perished  in  the  attempt  to  pene- 
trate into  the  cavern.  The  place  had  also 
been  used  as  a  receptacle  for  treasure,  for 
in  massive  stone  vessels  were  found  nuo:- 
gets  of  gold,  and  gold  vessels  of  an  antique 
pattern.  What  a  treasure  for  an  archae- 
ologist to  revel  in!  Gresham  resolved  to 
make  an  accurate  plan  of  the  cavern  and 
to  write  a  description  of  the  articles  found 
with  the  skeletons. 


288  TJic  Electrical  Boy. 

The  prosecution  of  this  work  and  the 
conveyance  of  the  treasure  to  the  camp 
occupied  several  days.  It  was  evident  to 
Gresham  that  his  operations  had  been 
closely  watched  by  Indians.  His  men  had 
caught  an  occasional  glimpse  of  a  form 
peering  from  behind  a  rock,  and  there 
had  been  mysterious  calls  echoing  in  the 
mountains  at  night. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2S9 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

GREATTHINGS'S    ENEMY    GOES    WEST,    AND 
EMPLOYS    MAGNETISM. 

CWAMM  missed  his  assistants  very 
early  on  the  day  following  their  de- 
parture, for  the  story  of  the  wonderful 
manifestations  seen  at  his  seances  had 
gone  abroad,  and  a  large  delegation  from 
the  psychical  society  desired  to  witness 
the  phenomena. 

Swamm  found  the  rooms  occupied  by 
Greatthings  and  Richard  deserted.  It 
was  evident  that  they  had  fled.  In  the 
room  occupied  by  Greatthings  Swamm 
picked  up  a  note.  It  was  from  Henry 
Gresham,  and  ran  thus, — 

"  Meet  me  at  the  railroad  station  at  ten 
o'clock." 

19 


290  The  Elect j^cal  Boy. 

"  So,"  ejaculated  Swamm,  "  they  are  in 
his  company,  are  they  ?  I  can  find  out 
their  whereabouts  whenever  I  choose.  I 
saw  young  Gresham  eying  me  very  nar- 
rowly when  he  consulted  me.  It  is  not 
possible  that  he  could  have  recognized 
me.  Why  should  he  meet  Greatthings 
and  the  boy  at  a  railroad  station,  even  if 
he  recognized  me }  " 

The  seances  of  Dr.  Socrates  became  less 
attractive,  and  the  strange  electrical  halos 
no  longer  appeared.  Madame  Zola  across 
the  street,  a  magnetic  physician,  exhibited 
more  wonderful  phenomena  than  those 
shown  by  Dr.  Socrates,  and  the  latter  was 
compelled  to  abandon  that  branch  of  his 
business.  Considerable  opposition  also 
developed  in  regard  to  the  doctor's  medi- 
cal use  of  electricity.  The  number  of 
those  who  had  received  no  benefit  began 
to  exceed  that  of  the  cured.  Several 
sceptical  persons  declared  that  the  opera- 


The  Electj'ical  Boy.  291 

tion  of  putting  a  coin  in  tlie  mouth  when 
the  hands  were  connected  with  a  medical 
shockino^-coil  was  in  the  hio-hest  des^ree  a 
humbug,  and  could  not  be  productive  of 
good.  Indeed,  such  persons  maintained 
that  no  taste  could  be  perceived  in  the 
mouth,  and  that  the  supposed  effect  was 
the  result  entirely  of  the  imagination. 

Swamm's  patients  declined  in  number; 
and  finally  when  a  rival  doctor,  who 
claimed  to  cure  all  diseases  by  massage 
and  a  magnetic  touch,  opened  an  of^ce 
up  town,  Dr.  Socrates's  practice  was  re- 
duced to  non-paying  patients.  This  was 
not  to  his  mind,  and  he  soon  found  a 
pliable  electrician,  who  aided  him  in  his 
seances ;  and  the  halos  were  again  seen  in 
the  dark  floating  over  the  heads  of  the 
audience. 

Swamm,  however,  had  made  up  his  mind 
that  fortunes  could  be  made  quicker  by 
mining  enterprises  in   the  growing  West 


292  The  Electrical  Boy. 

than  by  his  seances.  Through  an  alder- 
man whom  Swamm  was  able  to  put  in 
communication  with  the  spirit  of  a  de- 
parted wife,  an  appointment  as  Indian 
agent  was  obtained  for  the  venerable 
doctor,  who  desired  to  try  the  high  moun- 
tain air  of  Colorado,  and  incidentally  to 
redress  the  wrongs  of  the  Indians. 

On  his  way  to  the  West  Dr.  Socrates 
grew  younger  and  younger,  and  finally 
before  arriving  at  the  field  of  his  future 
labors,  the  flowing  white  beard  was  thrown 
away,  and  the  man  who  reached  the  out- 
skirts of  civilization  was  Swamm  the 
dapper  gambler. 

On  taking  a  view  of  the  situation, 
Swamm  decided  that  it  was  impossible  to 
reclaim  the  Indian  ;  but  nevertheless  some- 
thing could  be  made  out  of  him.  He 
proceeded  to  exemplify  this  paradoxical 
opinion  by  selling  the  Indians  poor  blan- 
kets, and  pocketing  the  difference  in  price 


The  Electrical  Boy.  293 

between  these  blankets  and  those  the  pa- 
ternal government  at  Washington  had  in- 
tended for  its  wards. 

It  seemed  absurd  for  the  government  to 
supply  blankets  which  were  of  such  good 
quality  that  they  would  outlast  the  bodies 
of  the  Indians.  By  the  doctrine  of  the 
survival  of  the  fittest,  certain  Indian 
tribes  were  destined  to  disappear  rapidly. 
Swamm,  therefore,  graded  the  blankets 
and  clothing  so  that  the  Indian  and  his 
effects  should  vanish  together. 

The  enterprise  of  Swamm  was  not  con- 
fined to  grading  the  supply  of  blankets  to 
the  Indians.  An  agriculturist  near  the 
agency  in  boring  an  artesian  well  noticed 
that  the  steel  drills  became  magnetic,  and 
attracted  iron  nails  and  pen-knives  very 
strongly.  Swamm  immediately  bought 
the  well,  and  proclaimed  the  magnetic 
virtues  of  the  water.  There  was  no  ill 
which   this   water  could    not  cure.     Soon 


294  "^^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

pilgrimages  were  made  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  to  obtain  this  wonderful  mag- 
netic water,  and  Swamm  made  money  by 
selling  it. 

The  virtues  of  the  magnetic  well  re- 
ceived a  great  advertisement  from  a  fortu- 
nate operation  by  Swamm.  Among  those 
who  sought  to  be  benefited  by  the  water 
was  a  miner  who  was  suffering  from  a 
severe  affection  of  the  eyes.  Swamm  in- 
serted the  ends  of  a  powerful  magnet 
under  the  eyelids  of  the  unfortunate  suf- 
ferer, and  then  recommended  him  to  bathe 
his  eyes  three  times  a  day  in  the  magnetic 
water.  The  cure  was  wonderful,  and  the 
miner  returned  to  his  work  with  his  sight 
restored.  Swamm  had  surmised  that  the 
man  was  suffering  from  iron  filings  in  his 
eyes.  The  powerful  magnet  had  removed 
these,  and  the  magnetic  water  had  merely 
acted  as  ordinary  water  to  cleanse  the  eyes. 
This    successful    diasfnosis    confirmed    all 


The  Electrical  Boy.  295 

believers  in  the  virtue  of  the  water,  and 
converted  many  unbelievers. 

It  was  pathetic  to  see  poor  suffering 
humanity  at  the  well.  Swamm  had  built 
large  baths  of  concrete  in  which  patients 
could  be  totally  immersed  when  they  had 
taken  large  draughts  of  the  magnetic 
water.  In  some  cases  he  recommended 
the  patients,  after  drinking  as  much  as 
possible  of  the  magnetic  water,  to  stand 
between  the  poles  of  a  powerful  electro- 
magnet which  was  excited  by  the  dynamo 
that  pumped  the  water  from  the  well. 
His  reasons  for  this  treatment  seemed 
scientific  to  those  who  did  not  know  that 
science  rarely  proceeds  by  leaps,  and  that 
a  scientific  method  is  generally  based 
upon  a  series  of  well  studied  phenomena. 
In  a  new  country  a  cure  which  proves  that 
scientific  men  are  ignorant  is  always  pop- 
ular among  a  certain  class,  for  it  leads  to 
the  belief  in  short  cuts  to  knowledsfe. 


296  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Perhaps  Swamm  believed  in  the  efficacy 
of  the  magnetic  water  and  of  his  treat- 
ment. He  proclaimed  loudly  that  if  any 
one  could  tell  him  what  magnetism  is,  he 
would  tell  them  why  his  magnetic  treat- 
ment effected  such  wonderful  cures.  With 
this  bold  proclamation  he  completely  si- 
lenced the  efforts  of  the  professor  in  a 
western  college  to  undeceiv^e  the  public. 

If  Swamm's  heart  had  not  been  long 
before  steeled  against  human  suffering,  the 
daily  sights  at  the  magnetic  cure  must 
have  wrung  it.  There  were  old  men  with 
crutches  seeking  the  fountain  of  youth ; 
blind  men  hoping  for  a  restoration  of 
sight;  little  children  with  pinched  faces 
borne  in  the  arms  of  anxious  mothers. 
Swamm's  heart  gave  him  a  twinge  once. 
A  woman  came  from  a  great  distance  with 
her  sick  dauQ-hter  to  be  treated  at  the  well. 
The  girl  was  strangely  like  a  maiden 
whom  Swamm  had  loved   when  he  was  a 


The  Electrical  Boy.  297 

young  man,  and  who  had  died  when  the 
world  was  young  to  him  and  his  heart  had 
not  grown  hardened.  He  saw  the  girl  go 
between  the  poles  of  the  magnet  with  an 
accusing  feeling  in  his  heart,  and  he  gave 
the  poor  mother  a  sum  of  money  to  convey 
her  and  her  daughter  back  to  their  home. 
Such  temporary  lapses  of  feeling  w^ere 
rare.  The  gentler  affections  die  like  the 
wind-flowers  if  they  are  not  assiduously 
watered  and  tended. 

Like  all  great  discoverers,  Swamm  was 
destined  to  suffer  from  detraction  and 
from  competition.  Certain  enterprising 
Yankees  immediately  bored  for  magnetic 
wells  and  discovered  no  end  of  them, — 
for  all  iron  and  steel  tools  in  borinsr 
through  rocks  containing  iron  ores  are  apt 
to  become  magnetic,  and  the  commonness 
of  the  phenomenon  threw  doubt  upon  the 
alleged  virtues  of  the  magnetic  water. 

While  occupied   with  the  duties  of  his 


298  The  Electrical  Boy. 

position  Swamm  encountered  one  day  Mr. 
Moses,  who   had  struggled  to  the  West  in 
the  hopes  of  hearing  from  the  giant.     Mr. 
Moses'  aim  in  life  was  a  Wild  W^est  Show ; 
but  where  were  the  means  t     Mr.  Moses 
spread  out  his  hands  like  the  short  legs  of 
a  frog,  and  looked  the  picture  of  despair. 
Swamm    was    very    impatient    with     Mr. 
Moses,  for  he  had  a  certain  contempt  for 
unsuccessful  men.    According  to  his  views 
a  living  could  always  be    made,  and  for- 
tunes were  always  possible.     It  might  be 
well,  he    thought,   to   have    several   enter- 
prises  on   foot.       He   felt   the   expansive 
spirit  of  the  West,  and   accordingly   aided 
Mr.  Moses  in  the  collection  of  material  for 
a  Wild  West  Show,  reserving  prospectively 
the  largest  share  of  profits.     A  number  of 
Indians  were  willing  to  join  the  Show.    A 
real  American  buffalo,  one  of  the  few  re- 
maining  on   the  continent,   was  obtained, 
and    Mr.    Moses'   countenance    began    to 


The  Electrical  Boy.  299 

smile.  Swamm  was  very  successful  in 
getting  curiosities  for  the  Show,  and  the 
more  he  thought  over  the  Wild  West  Show 
the  more  promising  the  enterprise  seemed. 
A  syndicate  could  be  formed  which  would 
control  all  the  Wild  West  Shows,  and 
when  the  business  arrangements  were  fully 
perfected,  Mr.  Moses  could  be  dispensed 
with.  Meanwhile  they  were  excellent 
friends. 

It  was  desirable  that  instruction  as  well 
as  amusement  should  be  provided  by  the 
Show.  ArchcEology  and  history  were  pro- 
vided for  by  a  collection  of  pottery,  — jars 
dug  from  the  mounds,  ornamented  with 
uncouth  figures  of  animals  judiciously  in- 
terspersed with  bowls  of  a  more  modern 
make.  In  a  glass  case  by  itself  was  to  be 
placed  a  minute  carved  image  of  a  pleio- 
cene  man,  which  Swamm  maintained  had 
been  brought  up  from  a  depth  of  three 
hundred  feet  in  boring  the  magnetic  well. 


300  The  Electrical  Boy. 

The  student  of  textile  fabrics  could  also 
trace  the  progress  of  that  industry  among 
the  aborigines  by  a  carefully  scheduled 
collection  of  blankets.  The  process  of 
weaving  the  famous  Navajoe  blankets  was 
to  be  shown.  A  Navajoe  brave  and  his 
squaw  were  to  accompany  the  Show,  and 
while  the  squaw  wove,  the  lord  and  husband 
in  his  paint  and  feathers  would  look  on 
with  phlegmatic  equanimity,  affording  the 
lecturer,  who  was  to  explain  the  Show,  an 
opportunity  for  a  suitable  moral  digression. 
Then  there  was  to  be  a  bear  hunt  con- 
ducted by  the  Indians.  A  bear  being  an 
intractable  animal,  it  was  proposed  to 
relieve  him  of  his  skin  and  place  it  on  a 
great  St.  Bernard  dog,  which  could  be  suit- 
ably trained.  There  must  be,  however, 
real  Indians  for  the  hunters,  for  in  mo- 
ments of  excitement  any  disguise  would 
be  sure  to  be  revealed  by  Hibernian  or 
Mongolian  exclamations. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  301 

One  of  the  o-reat  features  of  the  Show 
was  to  be  a  descent  of  the  Grand  Canyon 
illustrated  by  the  stereopticon.  The  exhi- 
bition of  great  panoramic  views  was  to  be 
interspersed  with  attacks  and  repulses  of 
Indians,  with  the  customary  proportion  of 
twelve  white  men  to  one   Indian. 

Mr.  INIoses  was  in  ecstasy  as  he  listened 
to  the  fertile  plans  of  Swamm,  and  he  saw 
extra  trains  running  into  cities  to  see  the 
Show,  carrying  those  who  wished  to  be  ed- 
ucated as  well  as  amused.  Swamm  smiled 
to  himself  when  he  heard  Mr.  Moses  as- 
sume the  position  of  the  popular  lecturer. 
A  more  mas^netic  man  must  be  found  for 
this  position,  —  one  whose  exaggerations 
should  be  disguised  with  tact,  and  one 
who  should  apparently  have  the  power  of 
conveying  a  large  amount  of  scientific 
information  by  properly  concealing  the 
difficulties  of  the  subject.  Mr.  Moses' 
nose,  too,  revealed  too  much.     With  that 


302  The  Electrical  Boy, 

indirect  method  which  was  so  characteris- 
tic of  Swamm,  the  latter  asked  Mr.  Moses 
to  pronounce  the  names  of  the  Indian 
tribes  whom  he  hoped  to  have  repre- 
sented in  the  great  Show,  —  the  Sho- 
shones,  the  Gosi-Utes,  the  Pah-vants,  the 
Chemehuevis,  the  Hualapais,  the  Mesca- 
leros,  the  Coyotero-Apaches,  the  Uintah 
Utes,  the  Uncompahgre  Utes,  and  the 
Weenemuche.  Mr.  Moses  left  Swamm's 
oflfice  feeling  that  perhaps  the  financial 
management  of  the  Show  might  be  his 
best  field.  Let  me  observe  here  that  Mr. 
Moses  was  another  example  of  a  man's 
belief  that  his  customary  pursuit  was  not 
his  strongest  bent.  Goethe  thought  his 
work  on  color  the  greatest  effort  of  his 
genius,  and  never  could  be  made  to  realize, 
poor  man,  that  it  was  all  wrong. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  303 


CHAPTER   XX. 

A    DANGER    IMPENDING. 

T  jNFORTUNATELY  one  of  Swamm's 
enterprises  interfered  with  the  other. 
The  Indians  who  had  received  cheap  blan- 
kets and  poor  suppHes,  instead  of  meekly 
assenting:  to  the  doctrine  of  the  survival 
of  the  fittest,  and  regarding  themselves  as 
the  unclassified  residuum  which  must  go  to 
the  wall,  suddenly  seized  their  rifles  and 
took  to  the  war-path.  The  Wild  West 
Show  lost  its  band  of  yelling  savages,  and 
the  cow-boys  fled  up  country  to  protect 
the  ranches  from  the  Indian  outbreak. 

News  came  to  the  agency  that  a  mes- 
siah  had  appeared  among  the  Indians,  who 
would  enable  them  to  subdue  the  whites 


304  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  regain  the  country  of  their  fathers. 
Fugitives  flocking  to  the  agency  described 
the  strange  rites  practised  by  the  Indians. 
One  of  the  strangest  was  a  wild  dance  in 
which  their  passions  and  hopes  were 
worked  to  a  fearful  pitch  and  they  became 
like  madmen.  No  one  had  seen  the  Mes- 
siah, but  he  was  said  to  be  an  Indian  of 
great  size.  This  Indian  outbreak,  looked 
at  from  a  business  point  of  view,  would  ad- 
vertise the  Show  perhaps  better  than  any 
other  means,  and  if  this  giant  prophet 
could  be  obtained  after  the  outbreak,  liv- 
ing or  dead,  a  strange  episode  in  Ameri- 
can  history  could   be    illustrated. 

It  was  evident  to  Swamm  that  history 
was  making  with  great  rapidity.  If  the 
Indians  should  be  driven  off  from  the  agen- 
cy and  exterminated,  there  would  be  no  fur- 
ther need  of  the  agent.  On  the  other  hand 
the  Indians  might  capture  the  agent.  In 
any   event    the    business   of    the    Indian 


The  Electrical  Boy.  305 

asfent  was  destined  to  Q-row  more  re- 
stricted ;  the  large  profits  must  be  made 
now  before  it  was  too  late.  The  old  con- 
demned United  States  firearms  which 
Swamm  had  bought  at  a  public  sale,  and 
had  distributed  at  various  points  among 
his  agents  for  sale  to  the  Indians,  were 
quickly  disposed  of  at  advanced  prices, 
in  many  cases  valuable  curiosities  being 
received  in  payment,  —  such  as  elaborately 
woven  Indian  blankets,  the  sale  of  which 
condemned  shivering  squaws  to  hold  little 
children  tightly  in  their  arms,  to  protect 
them  from  the  piercing  winds,  while  the 
braves  sought  to  protect  their  homes. 

Occasionally  nuggets  of  gold  and  silver 
were  obtained.  It  is  possible  that  the  In- 
dians employed  these  nuggets  just  as  a 
fisherman  uses  the  glittering  spoon  bait 
for  pickerel,  there  being  nothing  behind  the 
spoon.    Men  of  Swamm's  and  Moses'  types, 

however,    will    always    leap   for   glittering 
20 


o 


06  T/ie  Electrical  Boy. 


gold  or  silver  as  long  as  the  world  endures. 
The  Indians  found  it  impossible  to  live  on 
the  government  bounty  as  it  was  dis- 
pensed by  its  agents,  and  broke  up  into 
predatory  bands;  and  the  Government 
was  compelled  to  send  force  to  aid  Swamm 
and  Moses. 

The  Indians  spoke  in  short  and  jerky 
sentences,  leaving  much  to  the  imagina- 
tion, while  Swamm  was  the  embodiment 
of  fluency.  Most  people  have  not  the  im- 
agination to  fill  in  the  more  or  less  dis- 
jointed skeleton  of  an  Indian's  speech ;  but 
they  can  understand  statements  so  diluted 
with  words  that  one  fact  can  move  some 
distance  in  the  medium  without  hitting  an- 
other. Swamm  did  not  intend  to  spend 
his  life  in  cheating  the  Indians.  He  had 
more  extended  views  in  his  mind,  and 
these  views  embraced  getting  control  of 
great  tracts  of  valuable  mineral  land  which 
were  in  the  reservations  occupied  by  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  307 

Indians.  The  readiest  way  to  get  this 
control  was  by  driving  out  the  Indians ; 
and  this  could  be  accomplished  by  incit- 
ing an  Indian  war,  which  might  lead  to 
their  reservations  being  thrown  open  to 
the  American  citizen,  like  Swamm. 

In  extending  his  inquiries,  Swamm 
learned  of  the  mining  enterprise  of 
Gresham,  and  he  was  soon  in  possession 
of  a  description  of  every  man  in  Gresham's 
camp.  Swamm  and  Moses,  we  have 
said,  came  to  know  each  other  inti- 
mately in  a  business  way,  and  had  long 
consultations  together  in  regard  to  ob- 
taining some  of  the  wealth  which  rumor 
said  would  soon  be  Gresham's,  for  .large 
amounts  of  silver  were  coming  out  of  the 
mine  of  the  latter.  Swamm  wondered  if 
he  could  not  prove  that  Gresham  was  in 
collusion  with  the  criminal  Greatthings, 
protecting  him  from  justice.  If  he  could, 
why  should  not  the  force  of  his  country, 


3o8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

which  employed  him  to  see  justice  done  to 
the  poor  Indian,  also  employ  him  to  bring 
a  man  to  justice  who  had  long  evaded  the 
laws  ?  If  Gresham  were  driven  away  from 
the  mine,  and  a  disturbance  suitably  fo- 
mented among  the  Mexicans  and  Indians, 
he  might  be  induced  to  part  with  his  min- 
ing property  on  low  terms.  Swamm  and 
Moses  stood  ready  to  be  the  capitalists 
who  would  take  the  risk  of  working  the 
mine. 

This  method  of  Swamm  is  something 
like  that  of  a  man  we  once  heard  of,  who 
desired  to  acquire  a  valuable  property  by 
frightening  the  owner  away  by  a  ghost 
which  appeared  on  certain  occasions,  pre- 
ferably on  very  dark  nights,  and  generally 
at  midnight,  in  the  owner's  room.  The 
owner,  however,  shot  the  ghost,  and  so  the 
plan  failed.  We  shall  see  in  due  time  how 
Swamm's  plan  to  dispossess  Henry  Gres- 
ham worked. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  309 

It  was  not  long  before  Gresham  received 
a  note  from  Swamm,  stating  that  he  was 
on  a  prospecting  tour  through  Mexico  and 
Sonora,  and  felt  that  he  could  be  of  ser- 
vice to  Gresham  in  introducing  the  lat- 
ter's  mine  to  capitalists.  The  young  man 
smiled  sarcastically  as  he  read  the  note, 
and  was  about  to  send  back  a  contemptu- 
ous answer.  On  second  thought,  he  re- 
solved to  see  Swamm,  for  it  might  be 
dangerous  to  write  a  letter  even  to  such  a 
man.  Spoken  words  could  leave  no  im- 
press save  in  the  villain's  soul.  He  ac- 
cordingly told  the  messenger  that  he 
would  see  Swamm  whenever  he  chose  to 
visit  the  mine. 

One  afternoon  Henry  Gresham  saw 
Swamm  approaching  the  mining  camp 
mounted  on  a  burro,  as  the  asses  were 
called  by  the  Mexicans.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  several  Mexican  friends  who 
hoped    to    ascertain    for    themselves    the 


3IO  The  Electrical  Boy. 

truth  of  the  stories  of  the  extraordinary- 
richness  of  Gresham's  mine.  Swamm 
greeted  Gresham  with  great  effusiveness. 

Henry  Gresham  withdrew  his  hands 
coldly  from  the  double  grasp  of  Swamm, 
and  motioned  him  to  a  seat. 

"  I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  my  dear 
fellow,"  said  Swamm,  looking  keenly  about 
him  while  he  spoke.  He  proceeded  to 
unfold  his  plans  for  entering  into  co-opera- 
tion with  Gresham  for  the  introduction  of 
the  mine  to  the  attention  of  capitalists, 
when  his  eye  fell  upon  Richard  Greatman, 
who  came  forward  to  consult  Henry  Gres- 
ham. The  latter  took  the  hand  of  Rich- 
ard, drew  him  forward,  and  let  his  arm 
rest  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  boy. 

"  Mr.  Swamm,"  said  Gresham,  "  I  owe 
to  this  little  boy  my  knowledge  of  your 
evil  practices.  I  do  not  think  that  this 
interview  need  last  any  longer."  Thus 
saying,  he  arose. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  3 1 1 

Svvamm  also  arose  with  a  cool  look  of 
assurance,  and  cast  a  contemptuous  glance 
at  Richard. 

"  You  may  yet  find  that  my  knowledge 
of  men  and  the  world  may  be  of  advantage 
to  you,"  said  he,  turning  to  Gresham.  "  In 
mining  operations  you  will  need  just  the 
knowledge  which  I  have  acquired  through 
long  years.  Don't,  I  pray  you,  listen  to 
the  story  of  a  designing  boy." 

Gresham  indignantly  waved  his  hand, 
and  bade  the  servants  bring  up  the  mules 
of  Swamm's  party. 

Svvamm  mounted,  and  rode  away  in 
silence.  His  companions  drew  near  to 
him  when  they  were  out  of  view  of  the 
mining  camp,  and  entered  into  an  ani- 
mated conversation  with  him.  Even  in 
their  short  stay  they  had  gained  informa- 
tion which  led  them  to  believe  that  the 
stories  of  the  great  richness  of  the  mine 
had  not  been  exaggerated.     Swamm's  cu- 


312  The  Electrical  Boy. 

pidity  was  greatly  excited.  He  determined 
to  get  possession  of  some  of  this  wealth 
which  was  apparently  about  to  become 
Henry  Gresham's.  The  party  rode  back 
to  the  Mexican  village,  and  spent  the  night 
in  playing  cards,  drinking  ptilque,  and  lay- 
ing plans  for  outwitting  Gresham. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  3 1 3 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

THE    GIANT    APPEARS    AGAIN. 

T7RO]\I  time  to  time  Gresham  heard 
wonderful  stories  of  the  strange  coun- 
try that  extended  from  the  mine  far  into 
the  West,  and  a  strong  desire  came  over 
him  to  explore  it.  The  affairs  of  the 
mine,  however,  kept  him  closely  confined 
to  its  neighborhood.  In  the  long  eve- 
ninsfs  Gresham  with  Richard  studied 
Prescott's  "  Conquest  of  Mexico,"  and  the 
numerous  treatises  which  Gresham's 
mother  and  sister  sent  from  New  York. 
The  young  man  had  a  theory  that  he 
could  stimulate  a  boy's  interest  in  history 
better  by  taking  a  special  subject  and 
branching  out  from  this  subject  rather  than 


314  The  Electrical  Boy. 

by  pursuing  a  course  of  general  reading 
beginning  with  the  creation  of  the  world. 
He  therefore  studied  with  Richard  the 
accounts  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  Mex- 
ico, the  Aztecs,  and  traced  the  limits  of 
their  civilization,  their  contact  with  the 
Spaniards,  and  the  history  of  the  various 
expeditions  into  the  mysterious  country 
which  extended  along  the  Colorado  River. 
They  read  together  the  accounts  of  Cabe^a 
de  Vaca,  a  straggler  from  the  expedition 
of  Narvaez,  in  1528,  of  the  ancient 
Pueblos,  and  a  narrative  of  the  descent 
of  the  Colorado  River,  in  the  year  1540, 
by  Diaz,  one  of  Vasquez  de  Coronado's 
exploring  expedition.  The  strange  relics 
and  remains  found  in  the  carbonic  acid 
cave  stimulated  the  interest  of  both  to  a 
great  degree,  and  they  formed  a  plan  to 
go  to  Spain  and  examine  the  early  Spanish 
narratives  in  the  Spanish  archives.  Mean- 
while they  studied  Spanish  together. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  3i5 

Gresham's  experiment  in  education 
seemed  to  be  a  successful  one,  for  Rich- 
ard became  possessed  with  an  insatiable 
love  for  historical  investigation ;  while  in 
turn,  Gresham,  entering  the  subject  of 
science  by  means  of  electricity,  was  ex- 
tending his  knowledge  to  the  subjects  of 

heat  and  light. 

The  loneliness  of  Gresham's  life  led 
him  to  make  a  confidant  of  Richard. 
He  read  long  portions  of  his  mother's 
and  sister's  letters  to  the  boy,  and  n> 
sensibly  Richard's  sayings  and  doings  be- 
came a  part  of  the  correspondence  between 
the  dwellers  in  the  height  of  civilization 
and    the    two  isolated    men    in    a    mining 

canip. 

Mabel  Gresham  pictured  to  herself  a 
youncr  hero  defending  her  brother  from 
the  attacks  of  savages,  and  riding  through 
strange  storms  of  the  desert  to  convey  his 
n,es=^ao-es.     She  studied  the  same  books, 


31 6  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  longed  to  take  one  of  those  exhilarat- 
ing rides  which  her  brother  described, — 
over  the  great  plateaus  with  the  snow- 
crowned  mountains  in  full  view.  Richard 
dreamed  of  a  beautiful  girl  with  lustrous 
eyes  filled  with  pity,  and  he  resolved  to  be- 
come distinguished  so  that  —  well,  so  that 
those  lustrous  eyes  might  read  what  he 
had  written. 

An  old  Indian,  whom  a  scouting  party 
brought  into  the  camp,  fell  sick  shortly 
after  his  arrival,  and  was  carefully  tended 
by  Gresham  and  Richard.  In  response  to 
their  inquiries  concerning  the  early  records 
of  his  tribe,  he  told  them  many  legends  of 
a  wonderful  people  who  formerly  lived  in 
a  country  far  to  the  south,  who  made  ex- 
peditions into  the  country  north  of  Gres- 
ham's  mine,  to  bury  their  kings  in  concealed 
caverns.  Certain  medicine-men  of  his 
tribe  were  irk  possession  of  memorials  of 
the  kings,  written  in  strange  characters. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  317 

The  sick  Indian  told  his  story  between  his 
periods  of  pain,  relapsing  occasionally  in- 
to a  speech  which  no  one  in  the  camp 
could  understand.  As  if  to  reward 
the  care  which  Gresham  bestowed  upon 
him,  he  grasped  the  latter's  hands,  drew 
him  down  to  his  strangely  scarred  face, 
and  strove  to  tell  him  a  great  secret.  The 
Indian's  face  grew  distorted  with  pain  and 
the  effort,  so  that  the  young  man  involun- 
tarily drew  back.  The  hands  relaxed  their 
grasp,  and  the  secret  which  was  on  the 
point  of  being  divulged  died  with  the 
Indian. 

Gresham  had  heard  the  words  partly  in 
Mexican  and  partly  in  Indian  dialect, 
"  Cave  —  thirty  miles  —  near  a  park  —  " 
and  he  resolved  to  venture  a  short  distance 
into  the  valley  which  extended  toward  the 
mountains. 

Leaving  a  foreman  in  charge  of  the 
camp,   Gresham   and  his  party,   including 


3i8  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Richard,  proceeded  on  their  exploring 
tour.  After  many  weeks  of  varied  experi- 
ences among  the  foot-hills,  encountering 
parties  of  hostile  Indians  now  and  then, 
who  however  gave  them  little  trouble,  for 
the  expedition  was  well  armed,  Gresham 
discovered  indications  of  valuable  deposits 
of  silver,  and  pitched  his  camp  on  the 
shores  of  a  small  Alpine  lake  which  was 
surrounded  by  tall  cedars.  Leaving  his 
party  in  camp,  Gresham  set  out  with 
Richard  one  day  to  explore  a  mountain 
valley.  Both  were  mounted  on  sure- 
footed Mexican  ponies,  and  they  rode  side 
by  side,  commenting  upon  the  strange 
scenery  about  them.  Finally  the  valley 
extended  into  a  great  mountain  table-land, 
bare  of  trees  and  vegetation.  Gresham 
had  relapsed  into  silence  as  they  rode 
along,  for  he  was  thinking  of  the  strange 
contrast  this  life  he  was  pursuing  presented 
to  that  of  the  past  in  New  York.     He  was 


The  Electrical  Boy.  319 

aroused  by  a  sudden  exclamation  from 
Richard.  The  latter  pointed  to  small 
whirling  clouds  that  seemed  to  be  advanc- 
ing toward  them  over  the  plain.  Gresham 
knew  too  well  that  one  of  those  strange 
dust-storms  common  in  Colorado  and  Ari- 
zona was  about  to  envelop  them.  He  told 
Richard  that  they  must  ride  quickly  for 
shelter,  and  he  turned  his  horse  up  the 
valley.  They  had  not  galloped  far  before 
the  storm,  which  had  swelled  to  great  di- 
mensions, reached  them.  Richard  felt  the 
particles  of  sand  sting  him,  and  the  gale 
was  so  powerful  that  he  was  compelled  to 
clasp  his  arms  about  the  neck  of  his 
galloping  pony.  It  grew  dark,  and  the 
air  was  full  of  whirling  sand.  The  two 
could  hardly  distinguish  each  other,  al- 
thoucjh  the  flanks  of  their  horses  touched. 
Then  the  sand  storm  changed  to  one  of 
drivinq;  snow.  Gresham  reached  out  his 
arm,  seized  the  bridle  of  Richard's  pony, 


320  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  urored  both  horses  to  the  utmost 
speed.  They  must  gain  the  shelter 
of  tlie  woods  or  they  would  perish  on 
the  plains.  Wandering  they  knew  not 
whither,  they  were  compelled  to  trust  to 
the  instinct  of  their  horses,  for  it  was  so 
dark  they  could  not  be  guided.  Once 
Richard's  pony  stumbled  and  came  near 
falling;  Gresham  pulled  him  up,  and  they 
flew  on  and  on. 

Presently  a  light  appeared  in  front  of 
them ;  then  dark  masses  of  trees  were 
seen,  and  looming  cliffs.  They  had  evi- 
dently reached  the  limit  of  the  great 
plateau.  To  whom  did  the  light  belong .? 
Gresham  urged  the  panting  and  trembling 
horses  toward  it,  and  leaped  from  his  horse 
just  in  time  to  prevent  falling  under  it  as 
it  stumbled  on  its  knees,  completely  ex- 
hausted, at  the  door  of  a  hut.  The  light 
had  disappeared.  Gresham  called  out,  in 
English  and  Mexican  ;  but  there  was  no 


The  Electrical  Boy.  321 

response.  The  young  man  tried  the  en- 
trance into  the  abode;  but  it  was  firmly 
closed. 

"  We  must  gain  admission  to  a  shelter, 
or  we  shall  freeze  in  this  storm,"  said 
Gresham. 

"  We  certainly  saw  a  light  in  this  very 
spot,"  replied  Richard,  feeling  about  the 
singular  structure. 

As  Richard  said  this,  he  heard  a  voice 
within.  It  was  that  of  Ferdinand  Leap, 
the  giant.  The  boy  instantly  recognized 
it,  and  he  cried  out, — 

"  Mr.  Leap,  let  us  in  ;  we  are  perishing 
in  the  cold.  Mr.  Leap,  you  remember  me  ? 
I  'm  Richard  Greatman." 

Gresham  was  utterly  astonished  at  the 
words  of  the  boy,  and  felt  afraid  that  the 
exposure  and  the  severe  ride  had  deprived 
Richard  of  his  reason.  He  heard  a  tre- 
mendous voice  reply  from  within,  "  Wait!  " 

and   then    a   noise   as  if  a   great    ox    was 
21 


32  2  TJie  Electrical  Boy. 

moving  in  his  stall.  Presently  the  door 
was  unbarricaded,  and  Gresham  saw  an 
immense  man  with  a  torch.  The  face  of 
the  giant  seemed  a  picture  of  brutality, 
and  the  young  man  felt  for  his  pistols. 

Richard,  however,  was  overjoyed  at 
meeting  the  giant,  and  introduced  Gres- 
ham, telling  him  of  his  former  acquaint- 
ance with  the  great  creature  in  the  dime 
museum  in  New  York. 

The  giant  looked  somewhat  suspiciously 
at  Gresham ;  but  he  was  reassured  by 
Richard,  who  quickly  told  of  their  camp 
in  the  mountains,  and  of  their  being  over- 
taken by  the  storm. 

Gresham  looked  around  the  hut  with 
great  interest.  It  was  almost  a  tower,  and 
was  built  of  rude  masses  of  stone,  appar- 
ently by  the  giant,  for  no  ordinary  man 
could  have  lifted  the  stones  to  the  height 
they  were  placed.  One  side  of  the  hut 
was   against  the   wall  of  a  cliff,    and    the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  323 

smouldering  fire  threw  a  great  shadow  of 
the  giant  on  the  rock.  Leap  busied  him- 
self hi  replenishing  the  fire  and  in  repress- 
ing the  cries  of  two  savage  dogs,  that  kept 
up"  a  continual  baying  at  the  sound  of  the 
stamping  of  the  horses  outside.  Gresham 
was  anxious  to  find    shelter  for  the  tired 

animals. 

Leap    showed   him   a  grove  where   the 
animals    could   be    tied.      The  snow  had 
already    turned    to    rain,    and    the    thick 
branches  of  the  cedars  afforded  the  beasts 
good  shelter.      On  returning  to  the  hut, 
Leap  ofi"ered  his  visitors  some  trout  and 
pifion  nuts,  and  gave   Richard   a  full   ac 
count  of  his  journey.     It  had  taken  weeks 
and  months,  and  he  had  had  to  fight  his 
way  to  freedom.     Even   boys  strive  hard 
to  capture  a  strange  moth,  and  most  men 
have   an    overpowering    desire   to  collect 
something, -coins,   old    books,    or    auto- 
graphs.     Unfortunately  the  giant  met  at 


324  The  Electrical  Boy. 

every  step  the  mercenary  collector,  who 
desired  to  make  money  out  of  him.  The 
railway  porter  in  the  train  suggested  that 
they  should  star  it  together.  What  es- 
pecial star  the  porter  would  represent, 
Leap  could  not  tell.  The  giant  became 
much  exhausted  by  his  extended  railroad 
journey,  for  he  was  too  long  to  lie  down 
in  the  car.  He  had  been  captured 
twice,  —  once  by  the  proprietor  of  a  beer 
garden,  and  once  by  the  manager  of  a 
travelling  theatrical  company. 

Ferdinand  Leap  had  finally  succeeded 
in  getting  rid  of  those  who  wished  to 
make  money  out  of  his  size,  and  he 
had  slowly  made  his  way  to  the  wilds 
in  which  he  had  grown  to  manhood.  He 
found  that  his  mother  had  died  and 
that  his  father  had  disappeared  on  a 
mining  expedition.  It  was  unsafe  for  the 
giant  to  remain  within  easy  reach  of  the 
seekers  for  commercial  curiosities,  and  he 


The  Electrical  Boy.  325 

had  braved  the  hostile  tribes  of  Indians, 
putting  them  between  him  and  civiHzation. 
He  feared,  however,  that  some  Indian 
agent  would  enlist  the  Indians  in  an  at- 
tempt to  capture  him,  and  would  find  it 
safe  to  venture  into  the  mountain  fast- 
nesses and  bear  Leap  back  to  civilization 
and  to  dime  museums. 

"  I  terrify  the  Indians,"  laughed  the 
giant,  with  a  strange  snorting  noise.  "  A 
big  chief  has  been  expected  for  hundreds 
of  years,  and  they  are  beginning  to  think 
that  I  am  the  man  to  lead  them  against 
the  agents  and  the  settlers  who  have  en- 
croached upon  their  lands." 

After  the  frugal  supper  of  trout,  Leap 
showed  them  his  retreat  in  case  of  danger. 
The  hut,  we  have  said,  was  built  against 
the  wall  of  a  cliff.  Leap  explained  that  a 
huge  rock  concealed  the  entrance  to  a 
cave  under  the  mountain.  He  told  them 
that  no  one  but  a  very  tall  man  could  de- 


326  The  Electrical  Boy. 

scend  into  this  cave ;  for  in  the  descent  it 
was  necessary  to  use  a  greater  length  of 
arm  than  an  ordinary  man  has.  Tlie 
cave  ran  a  great  distance  under  a  peak 
of  the  mountain  behind  them,  expand- 
ing into  beautiful  rooms,  a  hundred  feet 
high,  the  walls  of  which  were  covered 
with  crystals.  After  running  about  half 
a  mile  under  the  mountain,  the  cave 
opened  upon  a  deep  canyon  by  a  passage 
which  was  known  only  to  Leap. 

While  they  sat  around  the  fire,  on  which 
the  giant  broiled  the  trout  and  roasted  the 
piiion  nuts  for  the  exhausted  wanderers, 
Gresham  watched  the  great  creature's  face 
with  interest.  Whenever  Leap's  eyes 
turned  to  Richard's  face  a  tender  light 
appeared  in  his  singular  eyes.  The  young 
man's  thoughts  recalled  the  tale  in  Leigh 
Hunt's  "  Indicator,"  of  the  maiden  trans- 
formed to  a  hideous  reptile  on  the  en- 
chanted  island  of  Cos. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  2)~7 

The  old  story  runs  that  the  daughter  of 
Hippocrates  was  condemned  for  a  sHght 
offered  to  the  worship  of  Diana  to  be  im- 
prisoned in  the  shape  of  a  hideous  ser- 
pent on  the  island  of  Cos.  She  was  to 
renew  her  youth  at  the  end  of  each  period 
of  one  hundred  years,  until  some  man, 
filled  with  love  and  sympathy,  should  be 
bold  enough  to  kiss  the  loathsome  ser- 
pent between  the  eyes.  Gualtier,  a  young 
sailor,  was  left  on  the  enchanted  island, 
and  overcome  with  fear,  met  the  serpent. 
Hearing  the  mournful  tale  of  the  maiden, 
he  shut  his  eyes  and  reached  out  to  kiss 
the  scaly  head,  which  darted  hither  and 
thither  while  the  forked  tongue  ran  in  and 
out  between  the  red  fangs.  The  story 
says  that  the  kind  sailor  felt  rose-bud  lips 
meet  his,  and  he  opened  his  eyes  upon  a 
beautiful  vision  of  youth. 

Richard  had  had  no  such  encounter  as 
this  with  the  giant.     The  fastidious  boy, 


o 


28  The  Electrical  Boy. 


however,  had  shrunk  from  the  strange, 
misshapen  being,  and  had  been  terrified  by 
his  rough  voice.  The  sweet  spirit  of  con- 
fidence and  dependence  on  human  love 
and  sympathy  was  dying,  imprisoned  in 
Leap,  and  could  only  be  saved  by  some 
manifestation  of  the  unselfish  interest  of  a 
human  being.  How  the  giant  overcame 
the  boy's  repugnance  neither  knew.  Per- 
haps the  tenderness  with  which  Leap  cared 
for  a  squirrel,  which  slept  in  his  great 
pocket  and  crept  over  his  immense  frame 
as  it  mio-ht  over  the  bole  of  a  California 
red  cedar,  awakened  the  boy  to  a  con- 
sciousness of  the  tender  heart  imprisoned 
in  a  hideous  shape. 

The  little  boy  had  found  a  way,  however, 
to  kindle  those  strange  eyes  with  a  tender 
love-light  which  was  at  strange  variance 
with  the  misshapen  and  hideous  frame  of 
the  man.  Leap's  great  hand  felt  the  wet 
shoulders  of  Richard,  and  he  brought  out 


The  Electrical  Boy.  329 

the  skin  of  a  bear  and  wrapped  it  around 
the  boy,  and  pressed  him  to  eat.  While 
doine  so  he  turned  to  Gresham  and 
said, — 

"  This  boy  is  the  only  being  in  the  world 
I  have  known,  except  my  dogs,  who  has 
not  desired  to  make  money  out  of  me." 

Gresham  pressed  the  strange  creature  to 
tell  the  story  of  his  wanderings.  The  giant 
folded  his  immense  hands  upon  his  knees 
and  reclined  against  the  stony  side  of  the 
cliff,  looking  like  one  of  those  great  monu- 
ments dug  out  of  the  sands  in  Egypt. 

"  My  relatives,"  said  he,  "  were  very  angry 
when  I  returned  without  the  great  fortune 
they  had  expected.  One  had  been  specu- 
lating in  mininsf  stocks  on  the  expectation 
of  receiving  large  sums  from  the  exhibition 
of  me.  Another  had  built  a  great  house 
with  a  cupola,  and  another  had  sent  his 
son  to  college.  When  I  struggled  back 
they  were  all  very  angry,  and  would  have 


330  The  Electrical  Boy. 

forced  me  to  return  to  make  a  show  of  my- 
self. I  could  not  do  this,  for  the  hideous 
life  of  the  dime  museum  or  of  the  travel- 
ling shows  would  have  killed  me.  Oh, 
how  I  hated  that  exhibition  of  myself !  " 
The  giant  groaned  as  he  spoke,  and  his 
great  hands  moved  convulsively  over  each 
other. 

Richard  put  out  his  hand  and  touched 
Leap's  knee.  Gresham  saw  the  great 
creature  extend  his  arms  as  if  he  longed 
to  take  the  boy  to  his  heart,  and  then  with 
an  abashed  look  he  rose  and  replenished 
the  fire. 

"  I  wandered  away,"  continued  the  giant, 
"  into  the  foot-hills.  Parties  were  sent 
out  for  me.  I  could  not  have  escaped 
them  had  it  not  been  for  the  hostile  In- 
dians. The  Tontos  and  the  Mescaleros 
were  on  the  war-path,  and  my  relatives 
did  not  dare  to  follow  me  farther  into  the 
mountains." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  331 

"  Did  not  the  Indians  trouble  you  ? " 
asked  Richard,  eagerly. 

"  No,"  replied  the  giant ;  "  they  were 
afraid  of  me.  They  took  me  for  a  big 
chief  whom  they  had  been  expecting  for 
many  years.  I  was  mortally  afraid  of 
them  ;  but  I  tried  not  to  show  it.  They 
brought  their  sick  children  to  me  to  heal, 
and  1  washed  them,  and  made  a  tea  of 
roots  and  gave  it  to  them.  It  did  me 
good  to  hold  the  little  things  in  my  arms, 
for  there  has  always  been  a  strange  ache 
in  my  heart  for  something  that  did  not 
desire  to  make  money  out  of  me.  The 
Indians  went  off  on  some  mysterious  ex- 
pedition to  the  north,  and  I  struggled 
farther  into  this  wild  country,  striving  to 
find  a  fertile  park  where  I  could  obtain 
food  and  a  place  to  enjoy  the  free  air  of 
heaven  and  the  beautiful  mountain-peaks." 

The  giant  gave  expression  to  his  re- 
membrance of  the  close  air  of  a  menagerie 


2);^2  The  Electrical  Boy. 

and  dime  museum  by  a  sudden  roar  which 
was  at  strange  variance  with  the  impression 
Gresham  had  obtained  of  a  child-like  na- 
ture imprisoned  in  this  behemoth. 

"  Finally  I  found  this  park,"  continued 
Leap.  "  You  will  see  how  beautiful  it  is 
in  the  morning,  after  the  snow  has  melted. 
The  cave  also,  which  is  entered  here" 
(the  giant  put  his  hand  on  the  rock  in 
a  corner  of  the  hut),  "  has  been  of  great 
assistance  to  me  in  making  the  Indians 
believe  that  I  am  a  big  chief,  for  no  ordi- 
nary man  can  descend  into  it.  My  limbs 
are  so  long  that  I  can  reach  a  lower 
projecting  shelf  which  is  over  a  boiling 
torrent,  and  then  there  is  a  fine  floor  of 
hard  sand  extending  through  great  cham- 
bers under  the  mountain.  The  egress  is 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  park,  and  is  of  the 
same  nature  as  the  hole  by  which  I  enter 
the  cave  here.  I  thus  appear  and  disap- 
pear at  opposite  ends  of  the  park,  and  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  333 

Indians  think  I  go  to  the  centre  of  the 
earth  to  consult  with  mysterious  spirits. 
Heigh  ho  !  You  see  I  cannot  escape  being 
a  show  to  somebody  wherever  I  go.  I 
cannot  be  myself.  No  one  ever  recog- 
nized the  nature  within  me  except  this 
boy." 

Again  the  giant  made  an  elephantine 
gesture  of  affection,  and  restrained  himself 
as  if  he  feared  the  hug  would  be  fatal. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  dangerous  to  love 
people,"  remarked  Leap,  half  to  himself; 
"  I  always  killed  kittens  when  I  was  a  boy 
by  hugging  them  too  hard." 

After  a  moment  of  deep  pondering  the 
giant  arose, — it  seemed  to  Gresham  as  if 
he  never  would  cease  rising,  —  and  said, 
"  I  will  show  you  my  cave." 

Thus  saying  he  lighted  a  torch  and  led 
the  way  to  the  dark  entrance  in  the  cliff. 


334  "^^^^  Electrical  Boy, 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

THE    PASSING    OF    THE    GIANT. 

T  EAP  descended  first,  and  then  he 
stretched  his  arms  upward  to  Henry 
Gresham,  who  held  a  torch  over  the  open- 
ing. The  young  man  seemed  like  a  boy 
in  the  giant's  hands,  and  felt  himself  sus- 
pended over  the  boiling  chasm  a  moment 
in  Leap's  arms.  Then  he  was  deposited 
on  a  ledge  upon  which  the  giant  stood, 
and  Richard  was  lifted  down  in  a  similar 
manner.  Leap  then  took  the  torch  and 
led  the  way  through  tortuous  passages 
into  the  cave.  They  passed  through 
vaulted  passage-ways,  the  walls  of  which 
glistened  with  crystals ;  then  the  narrow 
way    widened    into    great   chambers,    the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  335 

roofs  of  which  were  far  above  them  in  the 
gloom.  From  many  of  the  great  rooms 
passages  led  to  the  right  and  left  into  the 
darkness.  Leap  seemed  to  appreciate  the 
companionship  of  Gresham  and  Richard. 

"  I  have  wandered  often  through  this 
underground  palace  alone,"  murmured  he, 
—  the  giant's  murmur  was  like  a  strong 
man's  voice,  —  "  and  I  have  shivered  with 
terror ;  but  here  I  could  escape  observa- 
tion and  be  alone." 

Gresham  wondered  at  the  strange  com- 
bination of  the  shrinkino:  child-nature  and 
the  great  frame  as  he  followed  Leap 
through  room  after  rooni;  until,  after 
walking  half  a  mile,  they  came  to  the 
brink  of  a  roaring  torrent,  and  the  giant 
pointed  upward.  Gresham  could  perceive 
the  stars  through  an  opening  in  the  roof. 
The  storm  had  passed,  and  they  were  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  great  cavern.  The 
party    slowly    retraced    their    steps,    and 


336  The  Electrical  Boy. 

emerged  at  the  lower  hut.  The  giant 
assisted  Gresham  and  Richard  out  as  he 
stood  on  the  ledge  below. 

When  Leap  had  lifted  out  his  friends 
he  replenished  the  fire  and  sat  down  again, 
with  his  hands  folded  upon  his  knees. 
Overcome  by  their  struggles  with  the 
storm  and  by  the  heat  of  the  fire,  Gres- 
ham and  Richard  soon  fell  asleep,  and 
dreamed  of  storms  and  giants.  Leap 
watched  while  his  two  visitors  slept,  and 
wondered  what  this  interruption  of  his 
hermit  life  portended. 

The  park  which  the  giant  had  found 
was  one  of  those  which  are  characteris- 
tic of  the  great  tract  of  country  west  of 
the  lOo""  meridian.  Nature,  as  if  tired 
of  her  gloomy  mood  of  alkaline  plains 
where  nothing  but  the  sage-bush  grows, 
and  nothing  diversifies  the  desolate  ex- 
panse reaching  to  distant  mountains  save 
here   and   there   a   whitened   skeleton,   it 


The  Electrical  Boy.  337 

may  be  that  of  a  horse,  or  perhaps  of  a 
human  being,  suddenly  has  a  mirthful 
mood,  and  smiles  in  verdant  fields  set 
round  with  groves  of  trees  which  extend 
up  the  slopes  of  the  mountains ;  and  the 
mountains  look  down  upon  the  scene  of 
peaceful  beauty  and  see  their  summits 
reflected  in  a  placid  lake,  around  which 
stretch  the  green  fields. 

Ferdinand  Leap  was  very  tired  when 
he  reached  this  peaceful  spot.  He  had 
accomplished  his  miles  of  journey  en- 
tirely on  foot,  for  no  horse  could  carry 
him.  Here  at  last  there  seemed  to  be 
peace  for  him.  If  he  could  live  and  die 
in  this  quiet  valley  with  the  companion- 
ship of  the  faithful  dogs  which  had  been 
his  constant  attendants,  he  would  be 
happy.  One  thought  still  haunted  him ; 
if  he  should  die,  and  his  body  should  be 
found,  people  would  exhibit  his  skeleton. 
He  determined  if  he  should  fall  sick  to 


^-7  8  The  Electrical  Boy, 


j)j 


crawl  Into  some  hidden  nook  where  man 
could  never  find  him. 

Those  first  spring  days  in  the  park  were 
full  of  delight:  he  crawled  up  the  slopes 
of  the  hills  and  sat  against  the  eternal 
rocks,  and  looked  over  the  emerald 
spot  below  him,  out  through  the  great 
gateway  made  by  the  mountains,  into  the 
dim  hazy  distance.  As  he  sat  against 
the  rocks  with  his  immense  knees  drawn 
up  to  his  chin,  with  the  dogs  resting  their 
faithful  heads  upon  the  great  feet,  and 
sazins:  into  their  master's  face,  he  seemed 
an  unearthly  thing,  a  part  of  the  great 
savage  cliff  suddenly  endowed  with  a  hu- 
man form.  It  was  not  strange,  therefore, 
that  two  lurking  Indians,  who  had  watched 
the  great  creature  for  days,  should  stand 
awestruck  behind  a  projecting  crag  in  the 
belief  that  the  medicine-man  was  having 
converse  with  the  Great  Spirit.  Leap 
would  occasionally  .stretch  his  great  arm 


The  Electrical  Boy, 


00^ 


Into  the  air  with  an  ejaculation  which  ex- 
pressed his  delight  with  the  balmy  air 
and  the  sweet  smell  of  the  earth.  To  the 
Indians  this  roaring  exclamation  seemed 
directed  toward  the  proper  conduct  of  a 
thundercloud  that  was  Qratherinor.  If  a 
forked  bolt  of  lightning  should  come  from 
the  great  hand,  it  would  be  in  complete 
consonance  with  the  Indians'  conceptions 
of  the  giant's  attributes.  The  Indians 
stole  away  and  left  Leap  to  his  medita- 
tions, —  only  to  return  on  the  following 
day  and  continue  their  secret  observations. 
At  times  the  tribes  withdrew  on  their 
mysterious  wanderings  to  regions  farther 
to  the  north,  and  then  the  giant  was  truly 
alone.  The  days  when  he  felt  that  he  was 
the  only  living  human  being  in  his  sylvan 
solitude  were  delightful ;  but  those  days 
were  short,  for  one  day  he  perceived  two 
sharp  eyes  watching  him  through  a  cranny 
in  the  rocks,  and  the  timid  heart  within 


340  The  Electrical  Boy. 

him  grew  sick  with  terror.  The  eyes 
were  those  of  an  Indian  warrior,  and  he 
could  see  the  high  cheek-bones  and  the 
scarred,  dark  face  of  an  Apache.  Leap 
rose  and  walked  to  the  entrance  to  his 
cave,  lowered  himself,  and  groped  his 
way  into  the  heart  of  the  mountain.  He 
was  on  exhibition  still. 

In  the  morning  it  was  discovered  that 
one  of  the  horses,  overcome  by  the  strug- 
gle with  the  storm,  had  died.  The  poor 
creatures  had  been  carefully  tended  by 
the  giant  through  the  night ;  but  he  had 
little  to  give  them.  He  had  fed  them 
from  his  scanty  store  of  pinon-nuts, 
and  with  such  grass  and  dried  herbage 
as  he  could  gather  in  the  darkness 
from  crevices  in  the  rocks.  The  Mexican 
pony  belonging  to  Richard  touched  the 
giant's  great  hand  with  its  hot  nose, 
looked  up  into  the  strange  human  face 
with  a  pleading  look  in  its  bloodshot  eyes, 


The  Elcciricat  Boy.  341 

and  then  fell  upon  its  knees,  never  to 
bear  another  rider.  Leap  bent  over  the 
animal,  gazing  at  it  in  the  light  of  the 
flaring  torch  with  great  pity  in  his  eyes. 

Gresham  resolved  to  leave  Richard  with 
Leap,  and  to  return  to  the  camp  as  soon 
as  possible,  to  relieve  the  anxieties  of  his 
men. 

Gresham  as  he  rode  away  from  the 
park  found  himself  on  the  arid  plain 
over  which  the  sand  and  snow  storm  had 
swept  on  the  preceding  night.  How 
should  he  find  the  camping-place  of  his 
men  ?  He  could  recognize  no  familiar 
point  among  the  foot-hills.  The  thought 
occurred  to  him  that  the  Indians  might 
have  surprised  the  camp  and  have  slain 
all.  He  looked  carefully  at  his  rifle  and 
revolvers,  and  hastened  the  pace  of  his 
horse,  riding  toward  the  point  where  the 
mountains  showed  that  there  was  a  pass. 
After  several   hours'   ridinsf  he  heard   the 


342  The  Ekcirical  Boy. 

report  of  rifles,  and  saw  puffs  of  smoke 
among  the  low  trees  which  skirted  the 
foot-hills.  Then  a  band  of  Indians  burst 
forth  upon  the  plain,  urging  their  ponies 
to  a  gallop,  and  discharging  their  rifles 
behind  them  as  they  came  toward  Gres- 
ham.  The  latter  whipped  his  horse  to  a 
gallop,  and  made  a  wide  detour  to  escape 
the  fleeing  savages.  Presently  reining  up 
his  horse,  he  perceived  Greatthings  and 
the  Mexicans  following  the  Indians,  firing 
as  they  rode.  When  they  saw  Gresham 
the  party  halted,  and  the  Indians  dis- 
appeared in  a  cloud  of  dust. 

Gresham  learned  that  the  camp  had 
been  suddenly  attacked  by  a  band  of 
Apaches  just  as  it  was  breaking  up  and 
settinfj  out  to  find  him.  He  made  im- 
mediate  preparations  for  returning  to 
Richard. 

Richard  and  the  giant  explored  the 
beautiful    park    together.      Richard    was 


The  Electrical  Boy.  343 

filled  with  wonder  at  the  great  orange- 
red  pinnacles  of  rocks  which  stood  like 
sentinels  at  the  entrance  to  the  emerald 
park.  Above  and  beyond  were  snow- 
capped mountains,  and  over  all  the  in- 
tense blue  sky.  The  giant  extended  his 
arms  and  breathed  loudly,  as  if  to  express 
his  delight  with  the  beautiful  scene,  and 
led  the  way  to  his  favorite  resting-place 
on  the  cliff,  where  an  extended  view  of 
the  paradise  around  could  be  obtained. 

"  I  believe,"  said  the  giant,  after  a  long 
account  to  Richard  of  his  boyhood  and  of 
its  unfulfilled  aspirations,  "  that  I  am  suf- 
fering from  nervous  prostration  engen- 
dered by  that  life  in  the  dime  museum 
At  times  I  hear  the  clink  of  the  nickel 
pieces  as  they  dropped  into  the  pay-boxes ; 
and  the  whole  world  seems  to  me  to  be 
made  of  money.  The  clink  sounds  for- 
ever in  my  ears,  and  not  even  this  peaceful 
solitude   can   drive   it   out.     Promise   me 


344  ^'^^  Electrical  Boy. 

if  I  should  die,  that  you  will  conceal  my 
grave  so  that  no  one  can  ever  make  an 
exhibition  of  my  skeleton."  The  giant 
spoke  with  tremendous  fervor,  and  almost 
crushed  Richard's  hand,  which  he  seized 
and  held  to  his  great  breast. 

Richard  promised  that  he  would  do  his 
best ;  he  endeavored  to  assure  the  giant 
of  an  ultimate  recovery,  and  told  him  of 
the  comfortable  life  at  the  mining  camp,  — 
of  the  nights  devoted  to  charming  study  ; 
of  the  days  engaged  in  interesting  in- 
vestigations of  electricity,  —  and  he  hoped 
that  the  giant  would  become  one  of  their 
party.  Leap  mournfully  shook  his  head. 
"  People  would  plan  to  make  a  show  of 
me,"  he  said.  "  They  would  want  to  make 
money  out  of  me.  Not  you  and  Mr, 
Gresham  !  but  every  one  else.  I  feel  too 
that  I  shall  not  live  long,  and  on  my 
release  I  have  your  promise  that  you  will 
conceal  my  grave." 


The  Electrical  Boy.  345 

Richard  assured  him  again  that  they 
would  protect  him  both  living  and  dead. 
They  sat  on  the  projecting  crag  until  the 
setting  sun  raised  a  dark  battlement  of 
shadow  on  the  opposite  cliffs ;  and  then 
they  descended  together  into  the  valley, 
which  had  begun  to  darken. 

The  giant  moved  heavily,  and  groaned 
as  he  made  his  way  down  the  valley. 
Richard  was  alarmed  at  the  groans,  and 
asked  tenderly  if  he  felt  very  sick. 

"  My  groans,"  said  the  giant,  "  are  com- 
mon folks'  sighs."  He  confessed  that  he 
felt  very  weak,  and  should  be  glad  to  get 
to  the  cave  where  he  could  rest.  Richard 
involuntarily  reached  out  his  hand  to 
steady  the  giant ;  but  at  the  first  surging 
of  the  latter's  great  frame  the  boy  fell  to 
the  ground. 

"  Don't  let  me  step  on  you  in  the  gloom," 
said  Leap,  anxiousl}^ 

Richard  felt  that  it  was  not  safe  to  walk 


346  The  Electrical  Boy. 

very  close  to  him,  and  accordingly  jumped 
along  on  the  top  of  bowlders  beside  the 
giant,  occasionally  reaching  out  his  hand 
to  touch  his  great  friend,  saying,  "  This 
way,  Mr.  Leap.  Do  be  careful,  for  the 
way  is  particularly  stony  just  here ! " 

"  I  could  die  hearing  that  sweet  voice," 
groaned  the  giant. 

Presently  they  reached  the  entrance  to 
the  cave,  and  the  giant  sank  down  before 
the  embers  of  the  fire.  Richard  hastily 
built  up  the  fire,  and  proceeded  to  cook 
some  fish.  The  giant  with  sudden  energy 
rose  and  staggered  to  the  dark  opening  in 
the  rock.  "  Are  you  going  below  }  "  asked 
Richard,  with  trepidation  in  his  voice, 
seizing  a  torch  in  order  to  follow,  for  the 
giant  s  face  was  deathly  white.  "  Remem- 
ber your  promise,"  said  Leap,  with  a  deep 
sigh  which  seemed  like  the  wind  whistling 
in  winter. 

Richard    ran   to  the  opening  and  held 


The  Electrical  Boy.  347 

the  torch  as  far  clown  as  he  could  reach. 
The  eiant  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  the 
boy  ]iad  no  means  of  following.  Richard 
returned  to  the  fire  and  built  it  up,  and  sat 
down  with  a  heavy  heart.  Nothing  had 
been  heard  from  Gresham,  and  he  feared 
that  he  had  been  waylaid  by  Indians. 
The  giant  was  sick,  and  had  disappeared  in 
the  bowels  of  the  earth.  While  the  boy 
sat  over  the  fire  holding  his  rifle  over 
his  knees  —  for  he  expected  to  see  at 
any  moment  the  face  of  an  Indian  appear 
at  the  narrow  opening  of  the  cave  —  he 
heard  a  deep  rumbling  sound  as  if  of 
something  groaning  underground.  At  first 
he  thought  it  was  the  groans  of  the  giant. 
Presently  there  was  a  vivid  flash,  and  a 
thunderstorm  broke  upon  the  valley. 
Never  had  the  boy  heard  such  peals  of 
thunder.  It  rumbled  and  roared ;  it  crack- 
led, and  there  was  a  noise  like  the  rushing 
of  meteors  through  the  sky ;  and  then  the 


348  The  Electrical  Boy. 

deepest  tones  of  a  cathedral  organ  sound- 
ing masses  for  the  dead  were  heard  roll- 
ing in  the  cavern  underneath.  Above  the 
deep  sound  of  the  thunder  could  be 
heard  the  wailing  of  the  wind  in  the  firs 
and  pines,  and  the  fall  of  bowlders  which 
had  been  dislodged  from  the  steep  crags  by 
the  bolts  of  lightning.  Richard  went  to  the 
opening  of  the  cave  and  looked  out  upon 
the  tempest.  The  rocks  in  his  neighbor- 
hood hissed  like  serpents  with  electricity, 
which  streamed  from  their  points,  and  the 
lightning  seemed  to  open  great  rents  in 
the  bosom  of  the  immense  masses  of 
storm-clouds.  Could  it  be  the  passing 
of  the  giant  ? 

In  a  moment,  with  the  strange  transi- 
tions so  characteristic  of  this  mysterious 
country,  the  storm  had  spent  its  force, 
and  all  was  quiet,  save  the  sound  of  the 
brooks,  which  ran  in  all  directions  over 
the  rocks. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  349 

After  long  hours  of  watching,  Richard, 
hearing  Gresham's  familiar  whistle,  rushed 
out  and  flung  his  arms  around  his  friend's 
neck,  who  had  returned  by  a  forced 
march. 


350       '        The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

A    BURIAL    BY    ELECTRICITY. 

A  LADDER  was  immediately  impro- 
vised, and  Gresham  was  the  first  to 
descend  into  the  cavern.  He  directed 
Richard  how  to  join  him,  and  the  other 
men,  descending  one  by  one,  handed  on 
torches  as  they  came.  No  trace  of  the 
giant  could  be  perceived ;  and  the  file  of 
men  picked  their  way  through  the  myste- 
rious opening  in  the  heart  of  the  moun- 
tain, the  light  of  the  torches  throwing 
strange  shadows  upon  the  grim  rock 
forms,  many  of  which  resembled  the 
sphinx-like  figures  which  guard  the  en- 
trance to  Egyptian  tombs.  Could  the 
giant  have  crawled  into  some  of  the  many 
openings  in  the  hope  of  concealing  him- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  351 

self  forever  ?  The  exploring  party  halted 
in  the  great  central  chamber  to  consider 
in  regard  to  their  further  search.  They 
listened  intently ;  but  no  sound  disturbed 
the  stillness  save  the  distant  roaring  of  the 
underground  river. 

While  the  main  party  rested,  Gresham 
and  Richard  resolved  to  explore  a  fissure 
which  led  out  of  the  chamber.  They  had 
not  proceeded  far  before  Richard  uttered 
an  exclamation.  Gresham  lifted  his  torch, 
and  beheld  the  prostrate  form  of  the  giant. 
The  poor  creature  had  dragged  himself  as 
far  as  possible  into  the  heart  of  the 
mountain. 

Gresham  and  Richard  and  Greatthin^s 
had  a  longr  consultation  in  regard  to  fulfill- 
ing  the  last  wishes  of  the  giant.  How 
could  they  conceal  his  grave  if  it  should 
be  dug  in  the  valley }  There  might 
be  eyes  watching  the  interment  from 
some    point    in     the    surrounding    hills. 


352  The  Electrical  Boy. 

They  could  not  deposit  his  body  with 
greater  safety  in  a  nook  among  the  moun- 
tains, for  every  crag  might  shelter  those 
who  would  take  the  body  to  conjure  spirits 
with  or  to  make  money  out  of  it.  If  the 
simple  funeral  cortege  should  wend  its 
way  through  the  valley  and  out  upon  the 
alkaline  deserts,  they  might  proceed  until 
nightfall,  and  in  the  darkness  commit  the 
giant  to  a  resting-place  in  the  vast  plain ; 
but  how  could  the  vestiges  of  the  mournful 
work  be  concealed  ?  The  freshly  upturned 
earth  and  the  bruised  vegetation,  scanty 
though  it  might  be,  would  betray  the 
grave  to  Indians,  who  were  accustomed  to 
read  the  face  of  the  ground  as  scholars 
read  books.  The  friends  of  the  giant 
thought  long  and  deeply.  In  the  course  of 
their  deliberations,  Greatthings  remarked 
that  the  stress  of  their  meditation  upon 
this  subject  ought  to  have  a  remarkable 
equivalent  in  some  way,  for  he  had  noticed 


The  Electrical  Boy.  353 

that  long  and  intense  thought  on  any 
subject  was  sure  to  be  followed  by  a  spir- 
itual or  practical  effect. 

At  one  time  Gresham  thought  that  the 
body  might  be  placed  in  the  river  in  the 
cave,  which  could  transport  it  to  some 
nook  beneath  the  mountain,  where  it 
might  forever  remain.  Who  knew,  how- 
ever, the  course  of  the  hidden  river? 
The  giant's  body  might  be  brought  to  the 
surface  in  some  distant  canyon,  where  it 
would  be  found.  Greatthingrs  thousrht  of  a 
funeral  pyre,  but  none  of  the  party  had 
had  any  experience  in  cremation,  and  they 
shrank  from  experimenting  with  such  a 
monstrous  creature. 

Richard  thought  deeply  over  the  prob- 
lem, and  finally  presented  the  following 
plan.  In  the  central  chamber  of  the  cave 
was  a  deep  niche  in  the  wall  of  rock.  The 
body  of  the  giant  could  be  placed  in  this 
natural     sarcophagus,     and    its     opening 


354  '^^^^  Electrical  Boy. 

could  be  walled  in.  Gresham  and  Great- 
things  made  their  way  to  the  spot  indicated 
by  Richard.  The  niche  was  admirably 
adapted  for  the  purpose  if  it  could  be 
closed  by  a  wall  of  masonry. 

"  Some  arch^ologist  would  discover  the 
work  of  human  hands,"  said  Gresham, 
"  and  the  skeleton  of  Leap  would  be  ex- 
hibited as  a  type  of  a  race  which  long 
since  has  disappeared.'' 

Richard  pointed  to  the  great  overhang- 
ing curtain  of  rock,  and  said  that  if  it 
were  dislodged  it  might  fall  and  entirely 
cover  the  entrance  to  the  niche.  It 
weighed  tons,  and  no  one  could  remove  it 
if  it  should  fall  across  the  opening  of  the 
grave.  A  blast  might  be  put  in  a  proper 
position  in  the  wall  of  rock ;  a  fuse  might 
be  exploded  by  electricity,  and  the  entrance 
to  the  tomb  be  blocked  by  masses  of  rock 
of  such  immense  size  that  no  man  could 
remove  them. 


The  Elect7Hcal  Boy.  355 

Gresham  surveyed  the  peculiar  forma- 
tion spoken  of  by  Richard,  and  became 
convinced  that  the  boy's  plan  was  the  best 
that  had  been  suggested.  The  rock  if 
properly  loosened  would  undoubtedly  in 
its  fall  cover  the  entrance  to  the  niche.  It 
was  therefore  decided  to  bury  the  giant 
in  the  niche,  and  Richard  and  Greatthino:s 
made  plans  for  inserting  fuses  into  the 
rock  and  igniting  these  by  electricity. 

The  funeral  of  the  giant  was  a  very 
quiet  one.  After  great  labor  Gresham  and 
Greatthings,  with  two  trusted  Mexicans, 
succeeded  in  raising  Leap  to  the  platform 
of  the  niche,  and  deposited  the  body  in 
its  final  resting-place. 

In  order  to  explode  the  charge  of  dyna- 
mite which  would  have  to  be  employed  to 
dislodge  the  curtain  of  stone,  a  current  of 
electricity  would  be  necessary.  This  cur- 
rent in  passing  through  a  very  fine  wire  in 
a  fuse  would  melt  this  wire,  and  thus  set  off 


2^5  The  Electrical  Boy, 

the  charge  of  dynamite.  Gresham  pon- 
dered  over  the  question  of  getting  a  cur- 
rent of  electricity  into  the  cave.  If  the 
cavern  were  nearer  the  mine,  wires  could 
be  easily  led  from  the  dynamos.  It  would 
be  well  nigh  impossible  however  to  carry 
a  current  thirty  miles  over  and  through 
the  canyons. 

"  It  will  be  very  difficult  to  get  a  current 
of  electricity  into  this  cave,  Richard,"  said 
the  young  man  at  length. 

-We  could  bring  one  or  two  cells  of  a 
storage  battery,"  replied  Richard. 

The  look  of  doubt  left  Gresham's  face 
instantly.  The  storage  cells  should  be 
sent  from  the  mine.  On  his  return  to 
the  mining  camp  he  and  Greatthmgs 
would  consider  the  matter;  and  Richard 
should  be  constituted  the  engineer  to 
take  charge  of  the  mournful  task  of  for- 
ever shutting  out  the  giant's  grave  from 
the  2aze  of  mankind. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  357 

Gresham  left  a  party  of  men  keeping 
guard  in  the  cave,  and  returned  with 
Richard  and  Greatthings  on  the  follow- 
ing day  to  the  mine ;  he  then  consulted 
Greatthings  in  regard  to  Richard's  plan  of 
the  storage  cells.  The  latter  nodded  his 
head  slowly  as  if  expressing  his  affirma- 
tion ;  and  together  with  Richard  proceeded 
immediately  to  prepare  the  storage  cells,  — 
for  the  light  cell  w-hich  he  had  brought 
from  New  York  in  his  coat-pocket,  and 
which  had  been  of  such  service  in  inter- 
cepting the  train-robbers,  had  ceased  to 
work,  apparently  having  concluded  that  its 
career  had  been  sufficiently  brilliant. 

The  new  storage  cells  were  prepared  as 
follows:  A  piece  of  board  about  a  foot 
square  was  ruled  into  small  squares  like  a 
chess-board.  Into  the  corners  of  these 
squares  large  nails  were  driven  so  far  that 
they  protruded  from  the  board.  Around 
the    mass    of  sharpened   nail-points    w^re 


358 


The  Electrical  Boy. 


fixed  cleats  of  board.  Melted  lead  was 
then  poured  into  the  space  studded  with 
nail-points.  When  the  lead  was  cold  it 
was  shaken  out  of  the  box.     In  this  way 


lead  plates  were  formed,  the  surface  of 
which  were  indented  with  holes.  The 
holes  of  one  plate  were  filled  with  a  paste 
made  of  red  oxide  of  lead  and  sulphuric 
acid,  and  the  holes  of  another  plate  were 


The  Electrical  Boy.  359 

filled  with  a  white  oxide  of  lead.  These 
two  lead  plates  were  then  placed  oppo- 
site to  each  other,  only  one  quarter  of 
an  inch  apart,  in  some  wooden  boxes 
which  had  been  boiled  in  oil  in  order  to 
make  them  water-tight.  Each  box  con- 
tained two  of  the  prepared  lead  plates,  and 
the  boxes  were  filled  up  with  sulphuric  acid 
and  water.  The  cells  were  then  ready  to 
be  charged  with  electricity.  Greatthings 
led  a  wire  from  a  dynamo  to  the  first  of 
the  lead  plates,  having  placed  the  boxes  in 
a  row.  He  then  connected  the  second 
lead  plate  of  the  first  box  with  the  first 
lead  plate  of  the  second  box,  and  the 
second  lead  plate  of  the  second  box  with 
the  first  lead  plate  of  the  third  box  ;  and 
led  the  current  out  of  the  third  box  by 
connecting  the  second  plate  of  this  box 
with  the  dynamo.  A  current  thus  tra- 
versed the  liquid  layers  in  each  box  and 
charged  the  lead  plates    by  decomposing 


360  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the  sulphuric  acid  and  water.  Greatthings 
looked  satisfied  when  the  lead  plates  were 
in  position,  and  the  great  dynamo  began 
to  revolve  and  the  process  of  charging 
began.  The  preparations  for  the  funeral 
rites  of  a  great  Egyptian  king  could  not 
have  been  more  imposing  than  those  for 
the  giant.  For  six  long  hours  the  great 
dynamo  must  run  in  order  to  store  up  the 
mysterious  force  which  would  close  the 
massive  stone  portals  of  the  tomb.  Gres- 
ham  watched  the  operation  of  charging  the 
cells ;  and  he  told  Greatthings  and  Richard 
the  story  of  the  fisherman  and  the  genii  in 
the  Arabian  Nights' entertainment,  —  how 
a  giant  was  imprisoned  in  a  bottle  and  how 
he  became   free. 

"  You  are  now  bottling  up  a  genii,"  said 
Gresham. 

Richard  heard  the  story  with  rapt  atten- 
tion, and  his  boyish  mind  pictured  elec- 
tricity as  a  nebulous  giant  rising  from  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  361 

storage  cells,  but  held  there.  Greatthings' 
severely  practical  experience  with  the 
world  had  made  him  doubt  the  existence 
of  angels  and  genii.  He  had  however  a 
belief  in  demons  who  never  by  any  chance 
aided  mankind.  Augustus  Swamm  was  a 
demon  in  the  flesh  ;  and  there  were  also 
demons  who  tore  carefully  constructed 
pieces  of  apparatus  to  pieces  and  pre- 
vented experiments  from  succeeding. 
These  demons  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
calling  physical  devils.  They  generally 
represented  his  own  moods  of  im- 
patience with  wrongly  contrived  in- 
struments. Still  they  had  an  outside 
existence    to   him. 

"  There  seems  to  be  a  devil  at  work  with 
these  cells,"  he  said,  examining  an  instru- 
ment which  measured  the  amount  of 
electricity  running  into  the  battery. 
Greatthings  explained  to  Gresham  that  the 
giant  spirit  they  were  trying  to  put    into 


362  The  Electrical  Boy. 

the 'cells  seemed  to  rebel  and  to  wrestle 
with  the  dynamo.  After  some  hours  of 
charging,  Gresham  on  returning  to  the 
place  where  the  cells  were  being  prepared 
found  Greatthings  and  Richard  much  per- 
plexed. The  dynamo  was  groaning,  and 
at  times  reversed  its  direction  of  revolution. 
The  leather  belt  which  connected  it  with 
the  driving  pulley  creaked  and  shrieked. 
Greatthings  said  that  the  cells  acted 
strangely ;  they  seemed  to  get  the  better 
of  the  dynamo  which  was  charging  them. 
Gresham  saw  Greatthings  and  Richard  ex- 
amine all  the  connections  of  the  cells  and 
the  dynamo  to  ascertain  the  trouble  ;  and 
he  thought  that  the  spirit  of  the  genii  was 
making  a  last  effort  to  be  free ;  but  it 
could  only  be  set  free  by  closing  the  door 
of  a  tomb  upon  Ferdinand  Leap.  Richard 
finally  pointed  out  to  Greatthings  that  the 
brushes  on  the  shaft  of  the  dynamo,  which 
collected  the   electricity,  became    mysteri- 


£  CO 
goo 


S  t) 


3  & 


The  EIcctri:al  Boy.  363 

oLisly  loose  at  times,  and  the  electricity  in 
the  cells  ran  back  and  compelled  the  dyn- 
amo to  do  its  behests.  Greatthings  trium- 
phantly seized  a  wrench,  tightened  the 
brushes,  and  the  genii  was  firmly  impris- 
oned. Then  all  the  arrangements  for 
exploding  the  fuse  by  a  current  of  elec- 
tricity were  made.  A  storage  cell  and  its 
poles  were  connected  by  a  long  wire  which 
led  to  the  fuse.  In  the  fuse  was  a  fine 
wire  which  would  become  red  hot  when  the 
current  of  electricity  was  turned  on,  and 
consequently  the  fuse  would  explode  the 
charge  of  powder  in  which  it  was  placed. 

When  all  was  ready  the  party  returned 
to  the  cave.  After  taking  a  last  look  at 
the  great  creature,  who  seemed  like  one 
of  Michael  Angelo's  conceptions  as  he 
lay  stretched  in  the  niche  in  the  wall  of 
the  mountain,  they  retired  to  a  distance. 

Finally  Gresham  gave  the  word  of  com- 
mand.    Richard  touched  the  two  wires  to- 


364  TJie  Electrical  Boy. 

gether  which  connected  the  poles  of  the 
battery  with  the  fuse.  A  tremendous 
noise  sounded  in  the  cave  and  reverberated 
to  and  fro  through  its  hidden  recesses. 
The  great  curtain  of  stone  sHd  from  the 
place  where  the  convulsions  of  Nature  had 
placed  it  centuries  ago,  and  fell  against  the 
opening  of  the  natural  sarcophagus  in 
which  reclined  the  great  form  of  the  giant, 
completely  closing  the  opening  with  its 
immense  mass.  When  Gresham  and  Rich- 
ard came  to  the  scene  of  the  explosion 
they  lifted  their  torches  high  above  the 
closed  tomb  and  the  flaring  light  showed  a 
wonderful  sight.  In  the  face  of  the  rock 
which  had  been  hidden  by  the  great  cur- 
tain of  stone  glittered  a  very  rich  vein  of 
silver  ore.  It  seemed  as  if  the  giant  had 
pointed  out  a  treasure  for  the  one  human 
being  whom  he  had  loved,  and  who  had 
succeeded  in  concealing  those  great 
wretched  bones  forever  from  idle  gazers. 


The  Electrical  Boy. 


O^D 


XXIV. 

DEFENDING    A  MINING   CAMP    BY 
ELECTRICITY. 

ONE  day  Swamm  was  suddenly  re« 
lieved  of  his  position  as  Indian  agent. 
Could  it  have  been  the  work  of  enemies  ; 
or  could  the  Government  have  ascertained 
that  he  carried  on  an  illicit  traffic  with 
the  Indians  ?  What  influences  were  at 
work  he  could  not  tell ;  the  fact  was  cer- 
tain,—  he  was  thrown  on  the  world  again 
to  live  by  his  wits.  The  Wild  West  Show 
must  now  be  started  in  earnest,  and  he 
called  on  Mr.  Moses  to  arrange  for  their 
common  enterprise.  He  was  surprised  to 
perceive  a  marked  change  in  the  latter's 
manner.  This  change  was  accounted  for 
by  Mr.  Moses  informing  Swamm  that  the 


366  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Government  had  appointed  a  new  Indian 
agent;  and  that  agent  was  Mr.  Moses. 
Was  it  possible  that  this  smooth-faced, 
cringing  man,  this  showman,  could  have 
been  plotting  against  one  who  hoped  in 
his  turn  to  set  Mr.  Moses  adrift,  when  the 
syndicate  was   fully  established.'* 

It  was  useless  to  quarrel  with  Mr.  Mo- 
ses, and  it  was  humiliating  to  let  him  see 
that  he  had  been  successful  in  outwittino: 
his  late  partner.  Swamm  turned  his  back 
on  Mr.  Moses  with  feelings  of  revenge 
boiling  beneath  his  suave  face.  He  took 
up  his  old  trade  of  gambling,  and  extend- 
ing his  peregrinations  to  Mexico  spent 
the  proceeds  in   mining  speculations. 

The  stories  that  were  current  of  great 
treasures  concealed  in  the  mountains  filled 
Swamm's  thoughts  night  and  day.  He 
ascertained  that  the  number  of  pack-mules 
sent  out  from  Gresham's  mine  increased 
from  week   to  week.     The    Mexican  con- 


The  Electrical  Boy.  367 

spirators,  who  were  hand  and  glove  with 
Swamm,  told  tales  also  of  a  great  treasure 
having  been  found  by  Gresham.  No  one 
knew  how  the  stories  started.  Swamm  in- 
formed himself  of  the  number  of  men  in 
camp  with  Gresham,  and  also  of  the  latter's 
method  of  disposing  of  the  product  of  his 
mine.  A  plan  was  soon  laid  to  incite  the 
Indians  to  waylay  the  train  of  pack-mules. 
If  no  treasure  was  found,  the  attacks  would 
serve  to  frighten  Gresham  and  lead  him 
to  abandon  the  attempt  to  work  the  mine. 
The  task  that  Gresham  had  before  hini 
was  indeed  a  perplexing  one.  How  could 
he  transport  the  treasure  to  a  place  of 
safety }  It  was  plain  to  him  that  the 
number  of  hostile  Indians  increased  daily 
about  him  ;  and  he  feared  that  the  Indian 
troubles  would  compel  hini  to  abandon  the 
working  of  his  mine.  In  order  to  ship 
the  ore  to  a  market,  it  was  necessary  to 
send    it   out    of   the    mountains    under   a 


o 


6S  The  Electrical  Boy. 


strong  guard  of  armed  men.  This  would 
weaken  the  force  left  in  the  mine  so  that 
they  might  be  easily  overcome  by  a  sudden 
attack. 

The  consultations  in  regard  to  the 
situation  took  place  in  the  hearing  of 
Richard  Greatman.  At  first  the  boy 
wished  to  be  one  of  those  to  guard  the 
train  of  pack-mules.  To  ride  a  mustang, 
with  a  repeating  rifle  slung  over  his  back 
and  a  pair  of  revolvers  in  his  belt,  would  be 
happiness  indeed.  When  Gresham  said 
that  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  remain  in  the 
mine  with  the  scanty  few  who  must  be 
left,  Richard  thought  that  he  must  re- 
main also.  He  would  never  desert  the 
side  of  Henry  Gresham.  While  he  heard 
Gresham  speak  of  the  division  of  the 
party,  of  the  necessity  of  a  strong  guard 
for  the  pack-train,  and  the  difficulty  of 
keeping  enough  men  to  defend  the  camp 
against    a     possible     attack,    a     thought 


The  Electrical  Boy.  369 

entered  his  mind.  Why  would  it  not 
be  possible  to  defend  the  camp  by 
electricity  ?  He  took  an  old  board  and 
drew  a  plan  of  the  approach  to  the  camp 
with  a  blackened  stick,  while  Gresham  and 
Greatthings  were  in  deep  consultation.  It 
would  certainly  be  possible  to  place 
dynamite  cartridges  along  that  narrow 
rocky  way,  which  could  be  exploded  by 
electricity.  These  cartridges  could  take 
the  place  of  a  battery  of  many  cannon. 
Why  not  t  The  boy's  nerves  tingled  with 
excitement.  Moreover  wires  could  be  so 
stretched  that  the  approaching  assailants 
would  discharge  the  cartridges  upon  their 
own  advancing  forces,  thus  leaving  the 
three  or  four  men  in  camp  free  from  the 
anxiety  and  uncertainty  of  watching. 
When  he  had  carefully  thought  out  his 
plan,  he  looked  up  and  saw  Gresham  and 
Greatthings  sitting  in  silence,  thinking 
gravely  over  the  situation.      Richard    ex- 


24 


370  The  Electrical  Boy. 

plained  his  plan  to  them.  Greatthings 
burst  forth  into  a  joyous  laugh,  and  said 
that  he  would  engage  to  keep  the  camp 
alone  with  electricity  as  a  helper. 

On  looking  into  Richard's  plan  Gresham 
concluded  to  adopt  it.  The  narrow  defiles 
which  led  to  the  camp  were  studded  with 
powerful  dynamite  cartridges  which  were 
connected  with  wires  leading  to  the  dyna- 
mo machine.  In  each  cartridge  there  was 
a  fine  platinum  wire,  which  would  ignite 
when  the  current  of  electricity  passed 
through  it,  and  thus  set  off  the  cartridge. 
The  peculiarity  of  Richard  s  plan,  however, 
was  in  a  device  by  means  of  which  any 
assailing  party  at  night  would  set  off  the 
cartridges  upon  their  own  heads.  It  would 
have  been  possible  of  course  to  post  senti- 
nels in  the  defile  who  could  have  warned 
those  left  to  guard  the  mine  of  the  approach 
of  a  foe.  There  were  not  enough  men 
however  for  such  a  duty;    and   moreover 


T/ie  Elcctj'ical  Boy.  371 

confidence  was  not  felt  in  the  Mexican 
workmen.  The  sentinels  might  prove 
traitors.  "  Electricity  would  be  sure  to  be 
honest  and  straightforward  in  its  action," 
remarked  Greatthings.  The  device  was 
of  this  description  :  after  nightfall  it  was 
proposed  to  stretch  fine  wires  across  the 
defile  about  the  height  of  a  man's  waist. 
These  wires  were  so  arranged  that  a 
strain  upon  them  would  allow  metallic 
connections  at  their  ends  to  be  joined,  and 
thus  permit  the  current  of  electricity  pass- 
ins:  alono:  the  leadinor  wires  from  the 
dynamo  to  pass  into  a  cartridge.  If  the 
party  escaped  the  first  cartridge,  another 
wire  would  impede  the  passage  and  another 
cartridge  would  be  exploded. 

"  The  camp  will  be  as  well  protected  as 
if  it  had  a  battery  of  a  hundred  cannon," 
remarked  Greatthings. 

Gresham  satisfied  himself  of  the  com- 
pleteness of  the  plan,  and  felt  that  Richard 


372  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Greatman  and  Greatthings  could  readily 
defend  the  camp  during  its  owner's 
absence. 

While  those  at  the  camp  were  making 
their  preparations  Swamm  had  not  been 
idle.  A  force  of  straggling  Indians  had 
been  gathered  together  and  carefully  in- 
structed in  regard  to  their  tactics.  After 
the  pack-train  had  been  overwhelmed, 
Swamm  with  his  Mexican  desperadoes 
proposed  to  make  an  onslaught  on  the 
camp.  This  onslaught  depended,  how- 
ever, upon  the  number  of  men  who  should 
be  left  to  guard  the  camp. 

A  period  of  intense  heat  had  fallen  upon 
the  country.  It  was  unsafe  for  man  or 
beast  to  travel  in  the  day-time.  Gresham 
accordingly  delayed  the  departure  of  his 
pack-train  until  the  cool  of  a  beautiful 
clear  summer  evening.  The  moon  rose 
early,  and  the  night  promised  to  be  a  fine 
one.     All   the  miners  were  heavily  armed 


The  Electrical  Boy.  373 

and  well  mounted.  Richard  lonsred  to  eo 
with  Gresham,  but  he  was  consoled  by  a 
look  of  confidence  which  the  latter  gave 
liim  as  he  leaned  from  his  saddle,  took 
Richard's  hand  in  both  of  his,  and  said,  "  I 
depend  upon  you,  Richard." 

Richard's  heart  rose  to  his  throat  as  he 
saw  Henry  Gresham  ride  off  and  thought 
that  he  might  never  see  him  again.  What 
a  strange  turn  of  fortune !  Here  he  was 
again  with  the  old  man  George  Great- 
things  in  an  electrical  laboratory.  Thank 
God,  however,  Swamm  was  now  an  object 
to  be  assailed  and  not  aided. 

The  moon  rose  higher  and  higher,  and 
threw  a  flood  of  light  upon  the  mysterious 
mountains.  George  and  Richard  watched 
the  train  of  mules  and  the  horsemen  wind 
along  in  the  distance,  and  then  disappear 
from  view  behind  an  intervening  crae. 

Immediately  on  the  departure  of  the 
train   Greatthings  and   Richard  hurriedly 


374  ^/^^  Electrical  Boy. 

put  the  wires  in  position,  and  then  Rich- 
ard proposed  that  they  should  ascend  a 
little  eminence  to  catch  another  view  of 
the  train,  for  it  must  emerge  into  sight 
again  after  having  rounded  the  crag. 
Both  felt  assured  of  the  completeness  of 
their  electrical  preparations  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  camp.  No  one  could  ap- 
proach it  without  causing  a  tremendous 
discharge.  Neither  Richard  nor  his  com- 
panion felt  that  there  was  any  immediate 
danger.  The  night  air  was  pleasant,  and 
they  continued  their  walk  farther  than 
they  had  at  first  intended.  A  pet  cat 
which  had  made  its  home  among  the  miners 
accompanied  them,  running  along  by  their 
side  like  a  little  dog  and  occasionally  rub- 
bins:  against  their  Icq-s.  All  at  once  the  cat 
sprang  upon  Richard's  shoulder.  The  boy 
was  accustomed  to  this  trick  of  the  cat, 
and  passed  his  hand  over  its  fur  in  a  caress- 
ing manner.     To  his  surprise  he  felt  the 


The  Electrical  Boy.  375 

cat  trembling  with  great  excitement ;  every 
muscle    was    tense.     Its    head    was     out- 
stretched, and  its  eyes  were  intently  fixed 
on  something  before  them.     Richard  put 
out  his  hand  and  arrested  his  companion, 
who  was  plodding  by  his  side.    Both  looked 
in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  cat.     Be- 
yond a  bunch  of  cactus  Richard  saw  a  fig- 
ure creeping.     Nothing  was  to  be  seen  of 
the  pack-train,  which   ought  now  to  be  m 
sight.      Richard  and    Greatthings   hastily 
crossed    the    road    to   seek  a  path   which 
would  conduct  them  more  quickly  back  to 
the  camp.     In  doing  so  Richard  stumbled 
over  something  that  lay  extended   across 
the  path.      He   put  out   his  hand   and  it 
touched    the    dead    body    of   one   of   the 
miners   who    had  accompanied    the  pack- 
train.      No  sound  of   the   report  of  rifles 
had  been  heard.    Richard  and  Greatthings 
quickly  crept  along  the  shorter  path.     At 
one  place  it  was  closely  overshadowed  by 


376  The  Electrical  Boy. 

a  dense  growth  of  cactus.  Richard  ex- 
pected every  moment  to  feel  an  Indian's 
knife  driven  into  him.  He  walked  like 
one  in  a  nightmare.  He  could  hear  the 
nervous  breathing  of  Greatthings,  who 
shrank  close  to  the  boy  and  clutched  his 
hand  as  they  crept  through  the  bushes.  In 
a  moment  they  were  out  of  the  dark  copse 
and  creeping  under  the  wires  which  de- 
fended the  path  where  it  opened  between 
the  rocks.  They  rushed  into  the  nearest 
cabin  and  seized  rifles.  The  cat  came 
rushing  in  after  them  with  its  tail  twice 
its  usual  size.  Richard  felt  a  terrible 
fear  that  the  pack-train  had  been  sur- 
prised, and  that  the  guards  had  been  mur- 
dered.  How  could  they  be  surprised  in 
such  a  silent  manner.?  Neither  he  nor 
Greatthings  had  heard  any  discharge  of 
firearms. 

They   listened    and    watched.     Not    a 
sound    could    be    heard   save    the    distant 


The  Electrical  Boy.  377 

rumble  of  the  dynamo,  and  the  rippling  of 
the  mountain  stream  through  the  mountain 
gorge.  Suddenly  there  came  a  deafening 
explosion,  the  noise  of  which  echoed  re- 
peatedly through  the  mountains.  Then 
came  another  from  a  different  direction. 
Greatthings  pressed  Richard's  hands  and 
whispered  hoarsely,  "  Some  one  has  gone 
to  answer  for  his  sins."  Richard,  followed 
by  the  old  man,  crept  out  of  the  cabin, 
and  with  his  rifle  ready  for  use  cautiously 
approached  the  place  of  the  first  explosion. 
He  thought  he  heard  groans  of  persons 
in  great  anguish,  and  muttered  oaths. 
The  moonlight  did  not  penetrate  the  deep 
defile.  They  could  perceive,  however,  that 
great  fragments  of  rock  had  been  torn  off 
from  the  overhanging  crags,  for  the  rocky 
outline  had  been  changed  in  contour. 

Richard  and  Greatthings  returned  to 
their  cabin.  Every  moment  they  expected 
to    hear    another   explosion.      It   did    not 


378  The  Electrical  Boy, 

come.  The  only  noise  was  the  steady 
rumble  of  the  dynamo,  and  now  and  then 
the  cry  of  a  wolf.  The  wild  landscape 
stood  out  in  the  moonlight  like  a  stereo- 
scopic view.  To  an  excited  imagination 
a  moonlight  night  is  fuller  of  terrors  than 
a  dark  unillumined  one.  Every  sharp 
shadow  seems  instinct  with  life.  The 
shadows  of  the  rocks  are  crouching  forms, 
and  seem  to  move  under  one's  intent 
gaze.  It  is  said  that  engineers  on  express 
trains  feel  a  greater  tension  of  the  nerves 
on  moonlight  nights.  Shadows  of  trees 
thrown  across  the  track  become  possible 
obstructions.  Old  George  Greatthings 
said  that  his  hair  was  already  gray,  but  he 
expected  to  see  it  several  shades  whiter  by 
morning.  Richard's  nerves  were  severely 
taxed,  but  he  did  not  feel  the  least  fear. 
He  felt,  however,  the  weight  of  a  great 
suspense.  If  he  could  only  know  that 
Henry  Gresham  was  safe ! 


The  Electrical  Boy.  379 

After  leaving  the  camp  the  pack-train 
had  slowly  wound  through  the  defiles.  A 
guard  of  Mexicans  heavily  armed  preceded 
the  laden  mules.  To  each  mule  was 
assigned  a  driver.  Gresham  with  his 
most  trusted  men  brought  up  the  rear. 
In  passing  through  a  dark  gorge  one  of  the 
Mexican  drivers  suddenly  threw  up  his 
arms  with  a  shriek  of  pain,  and  fell  from 
his  horse.  A  weapon  from  some  unseen 
hand  had  penetrated  to  his  heart.  The 
train  was  cast  into  great  confusion.  The 
horsemen  in  advance  dashed  headlong 
down  the  rocky  way.  Gresham  and  his 
overseer  endeavored  in  vain  to  recall  them. 
Both  men  collected  the  few  adherents  who 
remained  and  took  up  a  position  with  their 
backs  to  the  cliffs  and  their  rifles  cocked. 
The  long  train  of  mules,  alarmed  by  the 
clattering  of  the  hoofs  of  the  escaping 
guard,  were  stampeded,  and  ran  with 
wild     speed     down     the     mountain-pass. 


380  The  Electrical  Boy. 

Gresham  felt  sure  that  his  men  would  be 
picked  off  by  the  hidden  foes  if  they  should 
attempt  to  pursue  the  flying  train.  He 
determined  to  protect  the  lives  of  those 
with  him  before  endeavoring  to  save  his 
property.  In  their  present  position  they 
could  only  be  attacked  in  front.  Crouch- 
ing behind  the  rocks,  they  watched  anx- 
iously for  the  mysterious  foe. 

While  Swamm's  Indian  band  had  thus 
succeeded  in  setting  the  Mexican  miners 
to  flight,  Swamm  himself  with  other  adher- 
ents crept  stealthily  along  through  another 
defile  in  order  to  surprise  the  camp.  The 
gambler  knew  that  the  force  in  the  camp 
must  be  greatly  weakened,  for  Indian 
scouts  had  brought  to  him  an  account  of 
the  number  in  the  escort  to  the  train  of 
mules.  The  Indian  scouts  reported  to 
Swamm  and  his  followers  the  dispersal  of 
the  pack-train.  The  Mexicans  had  hoped 
that  the  Indians  would  annihilate  the  party. 


The  Elcctj'ical  Boy.  381 

In  feeling  their  way  along  the  defiles 
fine  wires  were  encountered.  The  fore- 
most man  pushed  on,  lifting  the  wire  above 
his  head.  In  an  instant  there  was  a  terri- 
fic explosion,  and  not  a  man  in  the  stealthy 
file  creeping  along  the  narrow  path  es-' 
caped  death.  Some  were  buried  in  the 
rocky  debris  ;  others  were  thrown  up  in  the 
air,  and  their  limbs  scattered  on  the  side 
of  the  cliff. 

When  Gresham  heard  the  explosions  he 
called  to  his  men  to  follow  him ;  and  the 
party  made  their  way  back  to  the  camp. 
Gresham  shot  off  his  rifle,  and  made  a 
call  which  he  knew  would  be  recognized 
by  Richard  Greatman.  He  heard  a  joy- 
ful shout,  and  a  youthful  voice  cried  out, 
"Be  careful  of  the  wires,  ]\Ir.  Gresham!" 
The  men  halted  in  the  shadow  of  a  rock. 
The  path  in  front  had  become  impassable 
from  the  force  of  the  explosion.  In  the 
bright  light  Gresham  recognized  a  white 


2,S2  The  Electrical  Boy. 

face,  upturned  to  the  moon.  It  was  that 
of  Swamm.  Richard  Greatman  clam- 
bered over  the  debris  and  rushed  to 
Henry  Gresham. 

"  I  never  expected  to  see  you  again, 
and  I  should  have  died  of  grief,"  he  said, 
with  a  look  of  devotion  which  Gresham 
never  forgot.  When  the  morning  dawned, 
the  extent  of  the  terrible  explosion  was 
seen ;  rocks  were  piled  on  rocks,  with 
mangled  human  forms  between.  The  In- 
dians had  seen  the  devastation  caused  by 
the  blasts,  and  had  attributed  them  to  the 
mysterious  powers  of  the  man  whom  they 
had  wished  to  make  their  chief. 

Greatthings  stood  over  the  prostrate 
form  of  one  who  had  been  the  embodi- 
ment of  a  haunting  crime.  The  old  man 
trembled  like  an  aspen  leaf  as  he  gazed. 
Richard  drew  near,  anxious  to  comfort  him 
in  the  mental  stress  under  which  he  seemed 
to   labor,    yet   not  knowing   what   to  say. 


The  Electrical  Boy.  38 3 

Greatthings  seized  the  boy's  hand  and 
said  hoarsely :  "  When  the  temptation  to 
do  wrong  comes, —  I  hope  it  may  never 
come ;  I  do  not  believe  it  will  come  to 
you,  —  but  oh,  if  it  ever  does,  remember 
my  life.  I  did  wrong  once,  and  it  has 
haunted  me  all  my  life.  The  springtime 
went,  and  the  world  turned  to  an  abode 
of  fiends,  of  which  the  chief  was  this  man. 
As  he  lies  there,  he  seems  to  be  my  crime 
in  human  shape.  It  is  dead — dead  !  But 
where  is  my  youth  }     Gone  —  gone! " 

"  \Mien  we  go  back  to  the  great  city 
you  can  walk  anywhere  in  the  broad  day- 
light now,"  said  Richard,  striving  to  com- 
fort Greatthings.  "You  will  return  a  rich 
man,  and  can  help  others." 


^84  The  Electrical  Boy. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE    NEWSBOY    FINDS    HIS    POCKET    FULL 
OF    SILVER. 

n^HEY  called  the  vein  of  silver  revealed 
by  the  burial  of  the  giant  the  Giant's 
Vein ;  and  people  in  general  suppose  that 
it  is  called  so  from  its  great  size  and  ex- 
traordinary richness.  The  true  secret  of 
the  name,  however,  is  known  only  to  Gres- 
ham  and  Richard  and  Greatthings  and  a 
few  trusty  workmen,  and  to  you,  gentle 
reader. 

Let  us  hope  that  the  delicate  and 
shrinking  nature  which  was  so  long  im- 
prisoned in  the  colossal  and  misshapen 
frame  of  Ferdinand  Leap  is  joyous  in 
its  release.  Richard  often  heard  a  spring 
bird  singing  at  the  opening  of  the  cave  as 


The  Electrical  Boy.  385 

if  its  throat  would  burst  with  ecstasy;  and 
its  song  seemed  to  be  intended  especially 
for  him,  for  when  others  came  near  the 
bird  shrank  away  into  the  thicket. 

Gresham  and  Richard  resolved  to  aid 
the  street  Arabs  of  New  York  by  means 
of  the  great  wealth  which  had  suddenly 
become  theirs.  Together  they  visited  the 
haunts  in  which  Richard  had  spent  his 
youth.  How  strange  those  alleys  looked, 
and  the  small,  poorly  lighted  rooms  in 
which  humanity  still  herded !  Richard 
stood  at  the  very  window  where  his 
mother  had  pointed  to  the  stars.  There 
was  the  electric  lio^ht  and  the  wires  which 
led  into  the  distance.  Did  his  mother 
foresee  that  he  was  to  be  uplifted  from  that 
den  to  a  nobler  life  and  a  world  rich  in 
good  men  and  women  by  means  of  elec- 
tricity .?  He  reverently  removed  his  hat 
while  he  stood  at  the  dingy  window,  and 
vowed    that  he   would    devote  his   life    to 


386  The  Electrical  Boy. 

saving  other  poor  boys  from  a  life  of  sin 
and  i2:norance. 

In  the  process  of  studying  the  life 
of  children  in  the  tenements,  Richard 
re-visited  the  attic  where  Bill  Lark  and 
he  had  lived  and  where  they  had  kept  the 
carrier-pigeons.  Old  Smiles  had  disap- 
peared, and  another  man  equally  brutal 
and  unsympathetic  had  taken  his  place. 
Richard  walked  to  the  very  spot  where 
the  dove-cot  had  been,  and  saw  the  marks 
of  the  nails  which  had  confined  the  boards 
of  their  rude  habitation ;  and  the  trials 
of  his  early  youth  came  back  with  full 
force.  Poor  Bill  Lark !  he  might  be  living 
at  this  moment,  exerting  those  powers  for 
ruling  men  which  he  had  shown.  Richard 
thought  of  the  grave  in  the  potter's  field 
where  the  curly-headed  boy  with  the 
spirited  eyes  had  probably  been  buried, 
and  his  eyes  filled  with  tears.  He  took 
the  boat  to  the  potter's  field,  and  standing 


The  Electrical  Boy.  387 

on  the  spot  where  the  poor  are  laid  away, 
tried  to  find  Bill's  grave.  It  was  useless 
however ;  Bill's  life  seemed  to  have  been 
like  a  bubble  which  had  risen  from  a  dark 
well  to  reflect  the  sun's  rays  brilliantly  for 
a  moment,  only  to  burst  and  leave  no 
trace. 

Richard's  remembrance  of  Bill's  strug- 
gles, how^ever,  was  destined  to  benefit 
other  boys  like  Bill.  The  kind  act  that 
the  newsboy  did  in  protecting  Richard 
when  he  was  thrust  out  of  his  home  — 
home  !  how  strange  that  word  seemed  as 
he  recalled  the  den  in  w^iich  he  first  be- 
came conscious  of  the  world  —  was  des- 
tined to  bring  forth  fruit.  There  was  no 
possibility  of  marking  Bill  Lark's  grave  — 
except  by  a  tablet  in  a  human  heart.  Is 
not  that  where  we  all  wish  our  tablet  to 
be.? 

Richard  Greatman  and  Gresham  and 
Mabel   talked  over  various  plans    for    th$> 


388  The  Electrical  Boy. 

amelioration  of  the  condition  of  poor 
children  in  the  great  cities ;  but  the  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  was  not  an  easy  one. 
Gresham  pointed  out  that  if  comfortable 
quarters  were  provided  for  waifs,  more 
people  would  struggle  to  the  great  cities, 
leaving  the  health-giving  country  for  the 
strange  excitements  of  a  metropolis. 

Mabel,  with  the  impetuosity  of  a  girl, 
denounced  this  cool  reasoning,  and  was 
in  favor  of  opening  comfortable  quarters 
immediately  for  those  who  were  in  present 
need.  Richard  remembered  how  the 
shackles  fell  from  him  when  he  reached 
the  free  and  open  plains  of  the  West,  and 
was  in  favor  of  organizing  an  exodus  of 
children  from  the  great  cities  to  the 
western  farms.  No  inducement  should 
be  offered  for  poor  people  to  fiock  to  the 
cities,  but  every  inducement  to  spread 
out  into  a  new  country.  The  details  of 
this    philanthropic    scheme,   like    those  of 


The  Electrical  Boy.  389 

all  humanitarian  projects,  were  difficult ; 
but  we  feel  they  can  be  left  with  confi- 
dence to  one  who  had  known  extreme 
poverty  in  his  youth,  and  who  was  filled 
with  an  overflowing  sense  of  gratitude  for 
the  great  fortune  that  had  been  vouch- 
safed to  him  in  his  early  manhood.  Not 
the  least  part  of  this  fortune  was  the 
possession  of  the  love  and  esteem  of  the 
Greshams. 

One  winter  night  Richard  Greatman, 
hurrying  uptown  to  keep  an  engagement 
to  dine,  saw  a  little  newsboy  sound  asleep 
in  a  doorway  with  his  head  upon  a  pile  of 
newspapers.  Richard  stopped  and  asked 
himself  if  he  should  not  lift  this  little  waif 
out  of  his  want  and  drearv  existence  into 
that  paradise  in  which  he  found  himself.  It 
was  on  this  very  spot  that  he  had  opened 
his  eyes,  and  had  seen  the  tender  eyes  of  a 
beautiful  girl  gazing  with  pity  upon  him. 
His  wildest  imagination    could    not  have 


390  The  Electrical  Boy. 

conceived  that  he  should  in  twelve  years 
be  hurrying  to  a  beautiful  house,  such 
as  he  had  often  peered  into  with  famine- 
pinched  face,  to  be  received  as  an  hon- 
ored guest ;  and  that  the  beautiful  girl 
should  be  waiting  and  longing  for  his 
coming. 

The  little  newsboy  awoke  with  a  start, 
for  he  had  been  dreaming,  and  shouted 
quickly,  "  Herald  —  World  —  full  account 
of  a  great  accident!  "  Little  did  he  know 
that  a  human  being  full  of  pity  and  hope 
of  alleviating  the  poor  newsboy's  lot  had 
stood  over  him  like  a  guardian  angel. 
When  the  newsboy  put  his  hand  into  his 
pockets  he  found  them  full  of  silver. 


THE     END. 


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